Chicken with green poo & losing feathers

[Hyunsoo Moon]

Hey all, my 10 month old easter egger is losing a lot of feathers and having a lot of green poo with a lot of unprocessed food coming out. She was laying soft-shell eggs for a little while 2 weeks ago, but now she's completely stopped laying.

We thought it was just the winter season stopping her egg production, and that maybe she's moulting, but the green unprocessed poo is worrying us. But she behaves completely normal. She's active, eating well, and etc. Does anyone know what the issue might be?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi @Hyunsoo Moon Welcome To BYC

Can you post some photos of her and the poop?
What type of food/treats do you feed?
Has she ever had a respiratory illness?

Losing feathers could be molting, do you see new feather growth? Check her crop to see if it's emptying overnight, look through her feathers for any lice/mites. Soft shell eggs can be from a number of things - calcium and nutritional deficiencies, certain diseases (Infectious Bronchitis, Mycoplasma), shell gland disorder, etc. The green poop is concerning this can be caused by a few things as well - infection, nutritional deficiency, and sometimes worms or coccidiosis. Having a fecal float performed by your vet will help you rule out some of these things. Feel her abdomen for any bloat, swelling or feeling of fluid which could indicate a reproductive disorder.

Check your feed for any molds or smells that it may be rancid or old. See that she is drinking well. Depending on how much treats she gets daily, you may want to limit those and focus on providing her with her normal feed for several days to see if the green poop clears up. Poultry vitamins can be given for a couple of days a week too. Provide oyster shell free choice for added calcium.

 

[Hyunsoo Moon]

@Wyorp Rock
Here is a picture of her poo

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Poop can vary greatly depending on diet, water intake, weather, etc. I don't really see anything too concerning. If you have a vet that can perform a fecal float that's always a good idea. You mention that she is eating/drinking well and acting normal - I would be inclined to leave her be, unless she exhibits other symptoms like lethargy, respiratory issues or stops eating/drinking.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive.html
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=17568.0

 

[haejungkim]

Hello:
I'm the other caretake of the original poster's 10 month EE. She is starting to become lethargic throughout the day. She nods off as she is standing up and then sits down to rest a lot. Her lethargic behavior is worrisome. I sprayed the birds and the roost with permethrin today in case it might be mites. I did see some small beige bugs in the litter.

Side note: If the birds don't poop in the litter, do we have to regularly clean the bedding? We never do because it doesn't get too dirty.

Anyways any advice would be helpful. Thank you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello:
I'm the other caretake of the original poster's 10 month EE. She is starting to become lethargic throughout the day. She nods off as she is standing up and then sits down to rest a lot. Her lethargic behavior is worrisome. I sprayed the birds and the roost with permethrin today in case it might be mites. I did see some small beige bugs in the litter.

Side note: If the birds don't poop in the litter, do we have to regularly clean the bedding? We never do because it doesn't get too dirty.

Anyways any advice would be helpful. Thank you!

Can you take her to a vet?
When was the last time she laid an egg?

It is advisable to clean up the nightly droppings under the roosting bars and regularly scoop up any clumps of poop you see in the bedding.