Diarrhea--help

[pigcoon]

One of my hens seems to have diarrhea. The feathers on her back end are ragged and have poop on them and there is some runny poop in the run. This has been going on for a couple of weeks. None of the others have any of the same symptoms (I have 5 altogether, golden comets, 2 years old), though they have all been laying poorly all summer.

We don't really have a vet close by that treats chickens.

What do folks suggest?

 

[pigcoon]

Can anyone help????

 

[Imp]

It is normal for chickens to poop cecal poop occasionally. It is a smelly diarrhea type poop.

Here is the infamous poop page:

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

Sometimes chickens get poop on their feathers. You need to clean it off, and maybe trim the feathers.

What are they eating?
Is it hot where you are at?
Are they drinking lots of water?

Imp

 

[Chicka-boom Chicka-boom]

I am still new at raising chickens myself - but I recall reading that chickens with diarrhea should be given electrolytes (Gatorade or a similar drink). Hopefully you can find some helpful information on this site! Good luck to you and your chicken

and that she gets well real soon

 

[pigcoon]

Thanks so much for your reply (a rare commodity here!)

I did look at the poop page the other day and didn't see anything like what I'm seeing on that page. This is more like a shiny pudding; not formed at all, but not bloody. Haven't seen any visible worms but they have also never been wormed.

It is not too hot. (75 ish) They drink lots of water. They are eating pellets, I think the Purina right now but I go back and forth between two brands from the feed store. They get leftover greens and strawberry tops (that sort of thing) when I have it. They've not been laying terrifically since about June and they are not molting.

I'm wondering if I should worm them, and haven't done this yet so will have to poke around on the forums and learn how to do that.

 

[jbpatwood]

I wonder if going back and forth between the two brands could be causing this? I noticed that when my husband brought home a brand we don't typically use, that this happened to some of our hens.