Dark seed-shaped poo + lethargic - anyone know the cause?

[Ruby_Greedy_Prissy]

A couple of days ago, Ruby has been lethargic and her little head has been very close to her body. So we quarantined her. Since then, we have noticed that her poo looks funny. It looks like there are dark (almost black) seed-like shapes in her poop (think canteloupe seed). She's really lethargic and slow. I have given her some yogurt and scrambled egg, and some electrolyte solution for drinking.

Does anyone know what's wrong with her, and what I should do? And whatever it is she has, is she contagious?

Thank you!

 

[mypicklebird]

Can you post a photo?
I cannot think of any parasite that looks like that. Flukes are large enough to see with the eye, but aren't generally in the feces. Parasite eggs are SMALL, not cantaloupe seed sized.
If she is partially impacted due to eating a large quantity of some actual seed- she could feed bad. Some seeds are toxic, so she could also feed bad because of that. Has she had access to any seed like supplements, do you have large farm animals? Do you feed wild birds? Flax seed? Cotton seed? Small black sunflower?
Does she hang out under a wild bird feeder?

If what you are seeing is a seed, you can probably tell by actually touching it. Put on some gloves, strain some of the seed things out and poke/cut them open.

Feel your bird's crop, if she is impacted on seeds- you may find lots of them there.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

I think I would give her some ACV in her water to make the gut content more acidic
1 tbsp of ACV to pint of wsater try this for several days and then see if she is better
could be a touch of coccidiosis as the blood is making the manure dark
any questions email me

 

[Ruby_Greedy_Prissy]

Ruby did get some shelled sunflower seeds lately, and it wasn't really a LOT of seeds. So I am dubious of having fed her too much. But, just to be safe, no more sunflower seeds! There isn't a bird feeder or anything like that around.

Yesterday, I did feed her a mixture of sour cream / crumble / cayenne pepper, dilute gatorade for electrolytes, and some yogurt, and she appears to be a little bit peppier today. So I might feed her the same, and add some Vitamin E to her yogurt also. And all the other birds will get some Vitamin E just to help everyone out.

Thank you SO much for your kind thoughts. I am learning so much!
Amy

 

[Ruby_Greedy_Prissy]

Quick update on Ruby - she's seems to be doing better! She's more active and responsive than she's been in the past few days. I think we may be able to attribute her good health to:

(1) having a whole byc chicken worry about her needs;
(2) having cooler weather recently;
(3) water containing diluted electrolytes and sugar (diluted gatorade);
(4) yogurt and crumble mash with Vitamin E and cayenne pepper (she doesn't seem too - too keen on eating crumble lately, and wasn't too keen on yogurt either)
(5) her own chicken-y sense to do what she needs to get better.

I don't know that she's 100% yet (poo still weird, she's not eating kibble and seems to not like yogurt), but she's up and about, and seems more interested in looking for worms to eat after a rain storm than what might be ailing her, so I'm going to take this as a good sign.

Thanks everyone, for very thoughtful answers. My hens and I are lucky to have this group.

Amy

 

[tulie13]

If her poo was actually "watery", you may have missed seeing the water portion. When they get too hot and/or they haven't been eating enough, they can have "watery poo" and the solid portion can look like little skinny grains of rice, or seeds perhaps. The liquid portion is basically water and you won't see it unless you have her on paper towels or something absorbent so you can see the "puddle".

 

[LoneCowboy]

Ruby loves grass, have you given her any grass? She's not used to a ton of treats she's had to compete with all the other hens for the goodies. She might be gorging herself since there isn't much competition.

 

[sammi]

have you checked the crop?

 

[sammi]

another member posted this link..
I had it in my bookmarks..but forgot..

droppings pics..

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0