Consistent bright yellow poop for the past three or four weeks.

[ChickenNik]

Hello, I have one or more chickens (I’m not sure which one or ones are doing it) that are pooping bright yellow poop. I keep a pretty close eye on my flock and haven’t noticed any of them acting listless or otherwise unhealthy, but it seemed strange to me, because they didn’t have poop like that before.

To give some context, it is super hot where I live right now (low 100’s), and my flock is just starting to lay eggs. I acquired my flock over the course of a month, so we have three age groups. The oldest ones started laying about three weeks ago, and the middle ones just started to lay, and we are still waiting on some of the youngest ones. We have also found a few eggs with soft shells, or even just yolks, but that is becoming less common. I give them layer feed now, with oyster shell and grit mixed in.

Anyway, if anyone can tell me what causes poop like this, I’d be very appreciative. I don’t think it indicates a sickness, because I haven’t seen any other signs of illness, but I’d like to know to be on the safe side. Thank you.

 

[Vickischics]

Hello, I have one or more chickens (I’m not sure which one or ones are doing it) that are pooping bright yellow poop. I keep a pretty close eye on my flock and haven’t noticed any of them acting listless or otherwise unhealthy, but it seemed strange to me, because they didn’t have poop like that before.

To give some context, it is super hot where I live right now (low 100’s), and my flock is just starting to lay eggs. I acquired my flock over the course of a month, so we have three age groups. The oldest ones started laying about three weeks ago, and the middle ones just started to lay, and we are still waiting on some of the youngest ones. We have also found a few eggs with soft shells, or even just yolks, but that is becoming less common. I give them layer feed now, with oyster shell and grit mixed in.

Anyway, if anyone can tell me what causes poop like this, I’d be very appreciative. I don’t think it indicates a sickness, because I haven’t seen any other signs of illness, but I’d like to know to be on the safe side. Thank you.

The green/yellow poop might mean you have two different things going on. Therefore, it would be worth your time to watch the flock and figure out who is pooping this color.
Reason being, the green poop can mean that the chicken is not eating enough and the yellow can indicate E Coli.

I noticed you have three different flocks right now and I hope if you added new ones chickens along the way, that you isolated each flock before you integrated them.

Your Icon Initial doesn't state where you are located. As me, I am from Florida Space Coast. It is hot as blazes and we are in a Tropical Storm. Therefore, the Heat/humidity/air pressure has a weird way of playing havoc your on flock that can cause heat stress.

You said your birds are not acting lethargic, puffing up or having diarrhea yet therefore, having a stool test to rule our Coccidiosis, Worms or Enteritis would be in order.

All three of those causes attack the intestines and each will require treatment.
There are treatments with Corid for Cocci and SafeGuard or Valbazen for worming.

It would be safer to watch your flocks and figure out "who" is pooping the green/yellow color and take that fresh sample to the vet for a lab check.

Depending on the results, you might have to treat everyone. Especially since you mentioned finding soft eggs and or just yokes.

Let us know so someone can assist you. Good Luck.

 

[ChickenNik]

The green/yellow poop might mean you have two different things going on. Therefore, it would be worth your time to watch the flock and figure out who is pooping this color.
Reason being, the green poop can mean that the chicken is not eating enough and the yellow can indicate E Coli.

I noticed you have three different flocks right now and I hope if you added new ones chickens along the way, that you isolated each flock before you integrated them.

Your Icon Initial doesn't state where you are located. As me, I am from Florida Space Coast. It is hot as blazes and we are in a Tropical Storm. Therefore, the Heat/humidity/air pressure has a weird way of playing havoc your on flock that can cause heat stress.

You said your birds are not acting lethargic, puffing up or having diarrhea yet therefore, having a stool test to rule our Coccidiosis, Worms or Enteritis would be in order.

All three of those causes attack the intestines and each will require treatment.
There are treatments with Corid for Cocci and SafeGuard or Valbazen for worming.

It would be safer to watch your flocks and figure out "who" is pooping the green/yellow color and take that fresh sample to the vet for a lab check.

Depending on the results, you might have to treat everyone. Especially since you mentioned finding soft eggs and or just yokes.

Let us know so someone can assist you. Good Luck.

Thank you for the reply. I think I didn't explain my situation clearly. I have one flock. They have all been living together since April. When I ordered my chicks, some of the chicks I wanted didn't hatch, so I had to wait a few weeks for the next batch. They have all been together from that point on and have been healthy and well. The yellow poop started two or three weeks ago, and I haven't noticed any strange behavior, but I will have to start watching more carefully. I thought maybe the soft and shell-less eggs was a normal thing when chickens are first starting to lay, but maybe that is not the case. I will call my vet and get a fresh stool sample so that I can figure out what is going on, and I will post back the results here. Also, I am located in Northern Utah, and this summer is extremely hot and dry. Thanks again.

 

[Vickischics]

Thank you for the reply. I think I didn't explain my situation clearly. I have one flock. They have all been living together since April. When I ordered my chicks, some of the chicks I wanted didn't hatch, so I had to wait a few weeks for the next batch. They have all been together from that point on and have been healthy and well. The yellow poop started two or three weeks ago, and I haven't noticed any strange behavior, but I will have to start watching more carefully. I thought maybe the soft and shell-less eggs was a normal thing when chickens are first starting to lay, but maybe that is not the case. I will call my vet and get a fresh stool sample so that I can figure out what is going on, and I will post back the results here. Also, I am located in Northern Utah, and this summer is extremely hot and dry. Thanks again.

I understand better. Yes, definitely watch to "see" who is doing it. But, you can still take the sample in. You don't need to take the "guilty" one, just the poop for a float test. It should be relatively under ten bucks. I will pray it is nothing and it is heat stress. In the meantime, give it the chicken Electrolyte solution. If you do not have any, you can look for it online and make it. Also, try giving it a scrambled egg with a little bit of starter feed in it. Since it is not laying yet, I would think it's still on the Starter/grower feed. If you are able, check everyone's crop in the morning before they eat. It should be soft and empty. If you do not know how to do this, you can look it up or watch a youtube video.

Once you find out "who it is, isolate it and really check it out. It could be a crop issue and just not absorbing the required nutrients.

Yes, sometimes a new pullet will lay a soft shell but, that's not the usual if they are eating a quality calcium enriched feed. Always have oyster shell/chicken grit available. Some people will feed too many treats thus replacing the quantity of the Layer Feed they eat and then the calcium requirement is not met. Hope this helps.

 

[ChickenNik]

Okay, I'm finally ready to post an update. I took a stool sample to the veterinarian ($36), and they didn't find anything and told me they needed to see the chicken to tell me anything else. I took the chicken in today and spent another $77 for the exam. I was told the chicken seemed fine externally, and to tell me anything else they'd need to do blood tests and an x-ray ($430). The vet told me that the possible causes of the yellow poop could be coccidiosis (I'm assuming the stool test would have ruled that out), eating yellow foods like yellow peppers or yellow tomatoes (our chicken doesn't have access to yellow food), or yolk mixing with the stool. This one seems most likely to me, because we have been finding eggs with soft shells or no shell at all occasionally, and the other chicken we have that is the same age as this chicken is laying eggs with solid shells every day. The vet told me that chickens commonly have reproductive tract issues, because they lay so many eggs, and if it is a reproductive tract issue, then it would require difficult (also likely very expensive) surgery.

So, for now I'm going to separate the chicken in question to make sure that it is the one that is laying the problematic eggs, because I haven't been able to make the connection with a specific chicken yet, and then go from there.

 

[Birdielee]

Sorry you didn't get any conclusive help figuring it out. If you figure it out further, please pass the info along. I've got a yellow pooper, although it's not consistent. I'd like to figure out if all these widely varying poops I'm seeing are normal, or something that's going to kill them before their time.

 

[ChickenNik]

Sorry you didn't get any conclusive help figuring it out. If you figure it out further, please pass the info along. I've got a yellow pooper, although it's not consistent. I'd like to figure out if all these widely varying poops I'm seeing are normal, or something that's going to kill them before their time.

I'd like to know as well. I'll certainly share any additional info I discover, and I'd be interested to hear anything that you find out as well.

 

[Vickischics]

Good Grief! Vets must be charging more in N. Utah than here esp when they couldn't tell you anything you already didn't know. I'm sorry you had to spend all that money and then they asked for more to probably tell you no more than you already know. It seems like they didn't know either. Your poor chicken must have been really stressed. Did they tell you the stool float was at least negative for Coccidiosis? OR did they have no clue how to do that either.
Sorry for my sarcasm but, what you paid and went through was a bit much to tell you nothing.

I think you have a very good plan set in place. Heck, you'll probably figure it out on your own once you can observe her more, feed her a calcium enrich diet and be able to monitor her more closely. Although you don't want to keep her away too long because the pecking order will shift.
Try to keep her in view of the others if that is possible. If nothing changes, let her go back to her flock and live a happy life as long as she can given whatever the problem is.

Please keep us updated as I am interested in learning about this as well.

 

[ChickenNik]

Good Grief! Vets must be charging more in N. Utah than here esp when they couldn't tell you anything you already didn't know. I'm sorry you had to spend all that money and then they asked for more to probably tell you no more than you already know. It seems like they didn't know either. Your poor chicken must have been really stressed. Did they tell you the stool float was at least negative for Coccidiosis? OR did they have no clue how to do that either.
Sorry for my sarcasm but, what you paid and went through was a bit much to tell you nothing.

I think you have a very good plan set in place. Heck, you'll probably figure it out on your own once you can observe her more, feed her a calcium enrich diet and be able to monitor her more closely. Although you don't want to keep her away too long because the pecking order will shift.
Try to keep her in view of the others if that is possible. If nothing changes, let her go back to her flock and live a happy life as long as she can given whatever the problem is.

Please keep us updated as I am interested in learning about this as well.

Yeah, it was expensive and frustrating. They just told me that the stool float came back negative--no parasites. I'm assuming that includes coccidiosis, but I should have asked. I had questions and was told that a technician would call me after her meeting, but she never did. I called to follow up a couple of days later and they just made me schedule an appointment.

I ordered a second, smaller coop that I am going to put next to the existing one. I'll just observe her for a few days, then move her back with the rest of the flock. I will probably put her with one of the chickens that I know is fine so she has a friend during her quarantine.

PS: I've been very impressed with this forum. Everyone is so helpful and friendly. I'm glad to be a part of it.

 

[Vickischics]

Yeah, it was expensive and frustrating. They just told me that the stool float came back negative--no parasites. I'm assuming that includes coccidiosis, but I should have asked. I had questions and was told that a technician would call me after her meeting, but she never did. I called to follow up a couple of days later and they just made me schedule an appointment.

I ordered a second, smaller coop that I am going to put next to the existing one. I'll just observe her for a few days, then move her back with the rest of the flock. I will probably put her with one of the chickens that I know is fine so she has a friend during her quarantine.

PS: I've been very impressed with this forum. Everyone is so helpful and friendly. I'm glad to be a part of it.

I disagree with you for saying, "I'm assuming that includes coccidiosis, but I should have asked". NO, they should have told you. That is Bad on their part.
I would call them again. Specifically say " You told me the stool test that I paid X$ for came back Negative for parasites, But, you did not tell me if you tested for Coccidiosis. I also want to know exactly what parasites did you test for because you did not provide me with a print out of the findings. I will be coming on Monday XX to pick up my results.
Do not let the person that answers the phone put you off. Keep calling until they provide you with the documentation. The phone person is just a person that answers the phone and makes appointments. She more than likely has not been trained on people skills and people like her/him can sabotage a practice and the Vet her/himself have NO clue. That the reason I say keep calling and be forceful. It's because of this, you will not be back and they just lost a client because of it but, Earned a BAD google Review. Vet probably has NO idea you even called asking for the results. Benefit of Doubt.

I am so glad you now have an official Infirmary and hopefully you won't need to use it very often. But, if you do, you have it. I use an XL dog crate and found an XL bird cage for $7.00 that I can put next to it for company to visit the injured/sick. I found this really helps the healing, prevents depression and gets the sick chicken walking, eating and drinking faster. LaFleche recommended this when I had to isolate a chic that had been attacked and left for dead by the my Big Girls.

I agree that this forum is the MOST helpful and has such knowledgeable people on here.
There are some that are just plain ol EXPERTS that I follow just because I learn so much from them. It's amazing.

Thank you for the update and please keep me updated. Have a great day!
From the rainy Space Coast of Florida, Vicki