Diarrhea in Chickens

[LisabethBrooke]

This morning when I let my chickens out of the coop to free - range, one or more (its hard to tell all the brown ones apart) had some very watery poop. This could have just been some cecal poop, but I'm not sure. Their caged yard didn't have any poop in it like it normally does, other than what seemed like overly watery poop puddled. But it also slightly rained last night, and has been raining more often lately (yay). So the poop could have just been rained on and turned into the mud like the rest of the yard. I may be over thinking things here and just getting myself worried over nothing - I'm overly attached to my birds. But if they did manage to catch something - would the response to help them over it be to switch their feed from the standard layer crumble to a medicated feed for a little bit? I hate that idea, but I also don't want to either wake up to a coop full of dead and dying birds, or a giant vet bill.

 

[Kiki]

NO...medicated feed will do nothing for them.

The best thing to do is go collect some fresh poop and run it to the nearest vet's office and have it tested (It's cheap) for Coccidiosis and worm loads.

 

[WhiteWyan]

Do you have time to directly observe some chicken droppings being pooped out? That way you can inspect and hopefully ease your mind. Or identify a particular culprit.

 

[LisabethBrooke]

@KikisGirls - If it's coccidosis isn't that what the medicated feed is for? Also how do I collect runny chicken poop? With a Q-tip? (totally being serious here, not sarcastic and snarky at all.)

@WhiteWyan - I shall do this later. Hoping that when I go outside after a bit I will notice regular poop in the yard and I've just freaked myself out for no reason.

 

[feather13]

Hi Lisabeth,

I've had chickens for several years and find that they have solid to totally runny, diarrhea-looking feces. It just depends on what they've eaten, what the weather is like, and I don't know what else. I'm not an expert, but I've found that sick birds also have solid- to diarrhea-looking feces. Unless your chickens are acting unusual or lethargic, I wouldn't worry unless this persists (imho)

 

[hlhutchinson]

These have some good info about chickens poop
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive.html?m=1
http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2016/03/all-about-chicken-poop-brown-black-and.html?m=1
Good luck

 

[Kiki]

Scrape it up with a spatula and put it in a dish.

Cocciodios is not just runny poo.
Worms could be though.

Medicated feed MAY help prevent Coccidiosis in chicks....may, but it will NOT cure an outbreak.