Chickens Eating Feces

[ravenvalor]

Hello My Fine Feathered Friends,

I noticed that at least one of my chickens is eating chicken feces. Is this something that I should be alarmed about?

Thanks and have a great day.

Jim

 

[Ridgerunner]

Totally normal and to be expected. It would be very strange if they are not all doing that. There are a lot of partially digested nutrients concentrated in there, plus that is how they develop flock immunities and share probiotics. They are going to do it no matter what you do.

The danger is if they are in a wet brooder, coop, or run. Certain dangerous microbes thrive in wet poopy soil or bedding. It can be really hard to keep a run of any size dry when the weather sets in wet. Usually that is not a huge problem if they have dry places to go, but a wet brooder or coop is bad. As long as the poop doesn’t stay wet for a couple of days so that microbe can develop, them eating each other’s poop is not a problem. I consider it a good thing so they can share probiotics and develop flock immunities.

 

[glib]

It is well known that rabbit feces is one of the best if not the best chicken probiotic. chickens seek it (they spend a lot of time under elevated rabbit cages). And pigs pastured with cows eat manure and you can save on corn.

 

[Chris09]

It is well known that rabbit feces is one of the best if not the best chicken probiotic. chickens seek it (they spend a lot of time under elevated rabbit cages). And pigs pastured with cows eat manure and you can save on corn.

Where did you here that, "rabbit feces is one of the best if not the best chicken probiotic"?
There are enzymes in rabbit feces and the enzymes may help some with some digestion but these enzymes are not a probiotic.

 

[ravenvalor]

Thanks for all of the nice replies.