Chicken anatomy, is there just one hole?

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Mine sometimes get on the eggs by other chickens jumping in the nest with poo on the feet. And many times there are three hens in the same nest box while one is laying the others are pooing on her

 

[catdaddy66]

Quote:
Yep...this! The exit point is the same, although of course they come from two different systems (reproductive/digestive). My eggs never seem to have poop on them. Are they sleeping in the nest box?? Or they could have poop on their feet when they're getting into the box....

The epiglottis does the same thing in the split of the trachea and esophogus in the back of the throat...it moves cover whichever opening is not being used, mainly so food doesn't end up in our lungs! Does any poultry biologist know what the little flap between cloaca and oviduct is called?

 

[mkwags]

so, is there anything to do about limiting the poo? I think the problem is they have poo on their feet because there in not poo in my next box. How do I know if my chickens have normal poo or diahrea(sp?). AND, if it is too runny, what can I do to thicken it up?

 

[flockof4]

Runny poop...aka diarrhea seems to happen occasionally with my chickens. As long as it is occasional and not all the time, it's ok. By occasional, I mean no more than 10-15% of the time. I'm not sure how you would "thicken" up the poop. Diet change seems the most obvious way, but their diet might be fine and changing it could be more trouble than the poop on the feet and eggs. What is your litter situation like? Straw and hay? Or sawdust? Is there enough litter in the coop so that the poop gets stirred in when they scratch? Could the stuff on the eggs be mud from outside? Just some things to consider. Hope it helps.

 

[silkiechicken]

Runny poo can be dietary, like lots of veggies/fruit. However, if these are younger chickens who aren't egg laying veterans, it is possible that a bit of poo comes out from the straining after the egg comes out.

If it's poopy feet, more bedding just outside the nest so most of it gets "wiped off" before they get in the nest.

 

[underground chickenman]

Clean floor litter and clean nest box = clean eggs. Most of the time.

UGCM

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
The egg and the poo originate in two separate areas - but it all exits the body through the SAME opening, the chicken's vent.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
Well I must have a bunch of deformed chickens and all the rest over the years too since I've never had a chicken that had more than one opening.

 

[kennedyscochins]

There is a FANTASTIC article about this is the latest edition of Backyard Poultry Magazine. Even shows an actual picture.

This is how it's described in the magazine:

The eggs originate in the oviduct which is to the right of the intestine. As the egg exits the oviduct, the uterine lining of the hen actually exits the vent as the egg is laid. This lining protects the egg from poop as it closes off the digestive tract. So, although they do come out of the same hole, there should not be any poop on the egg. If there is, it has come after the egg was laid-either from dirty nest boxes or feet.

 

[chauqg]

Poop in the nest boxes is absolutely correct. The only dirty eggs I get with poo are laid on the floor every now and then. All eggs in the clean nest boxes are spotless.