Can stress cause diarrhea?

[Lenis]

So my 12 fat babies and I have survived this blizzard. I've got 6 month old leghorns. They've been through quite a lot these last two days. They have a large covered run but it's a muddy mess. There have been snow blowers and shovels and we had to clear the roof on the run which was loud. It's also freezing. They've been doing the flamingo pose trying to keep their feet warm I guess. It's warm and dry in the coop but they've been outside by choice. While I was out with them I heard a loud splat and one of them let loose a nice pile of liquid poop. Think it's the stress of all the change. Could it be the spinach I gave them yesterday as a treat? Or should I be worried.....how long do I let this go before I worry? I would say they ate less today. And drank less as well. But there is a pile of snow in the corner of the run that they've been in quite a bit so they could be getting water there. Egg laying is oddly at normal. When do I freak out?

 

[Hholly]

If you have mud and diarrhea, it could be coccidiosis. I would treat for it with Corid. It's a myth, that you must see blood in the poop for coccidiosis to be the problem. Here's a good thread to give you more info. And no need to freak out.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/818879/updated-corid-and-amprol-amprolium-dosing

 

[Lenis]

Oh dear

were under a driving ban until later tonight. There won't be a store open until tomorrow. Maybe. Think I'm ok until then. I guess I don't have much of a choice. Any home remedies or suggestions until I can get out of the house?

 

[Hholly]

Have you noticed several birds with the diarrhea? Or just one? Is it consistent?

 

[Lenis]

I saw one bird, one time. I looked around and saw some normal poo. I didn't see anything else that looked like diarrhea but there's a lot of mud so it's hard to tell. I sat out there with them for as long as I could stand it and of course no one else felt the need to go. It was just a loud splat and a decent pile. I've never seen that with them before. I was hoping it was stress. Humans get the stress runs. Or the spinach. It's only the second time they've had it and it was marigold who had the runs. She rules the roost so I'm sure she got more spinach than the rest. I looked in the coop and only saw solid poo.

 

[Hholly]

Watch for huddling with puffed out feathers and less interest in scratching and eating. It's nothing to stress over. But not a bad idea to treat. If you are seeing listlessness and abnormal behaviours and consistent diarrhea, it becomes more urgent.

 

[Lenis]

Thanks so much. I guess I'll have a better idea in the morning. The area under the roosting bar should prob give me a good idea if we've got a lot of it. It's always something. We can't just have 30 inches of snow. We've got to add pooping issues to it.