Diarrhea with otherwise Healthy Chickens

[Aslea]

I've always noticed my hens will have poop stuck to their butt every now and again. I have 17 adult chickens and they all rotate with having and not having diarrhea on a regular basis. They get Purina Layena in the morning in three separate bowls, and are let out to free range around noon. They are laying fine, and have cool water 24/7 and shade. Otherwise healthy chickens, no one is sneezing or coughing, all 100% healthy otherwise. The youngest are six months old and were raised on Medicated Feed but are also now on Layena as they are laying, but have not noticed diarrhea on them yet. The oldest is a 7 year old Orpington. The worst ones are my purebreds, which are three Orpingtons and a Cochin Bantam.

Wondering what would be causing the diarrhea and how to help it?

 

[MeepBeep]

I've always noticed my hens will have poop stuck to their butt every now and again. I have 17 adult chickens and they all rotate with having and not having diarrhea on a regular basis. They get Purina Layena in the morning in three separate bowls, and are let out to free range around noon. They are laying fine, and have cool water 24/7 and shade. Otherwise healthy chickens, no one is sneezing or coughing, all 100% healthy otherwise. The youngest are six months old and were raised on Medicated Feed but are also now on Layena as they are laying, but have not noticed diarrhea on them yet. The oldest is a 7 year old Orpington. The worst ones are my purebreds, which are three Orpingtons and a Cochin Bantam. 

Wondering what would be causing the diarrhea and how to help it? 

The 'loose stool' is probably because they are gorging themselves on fresh foods all day while foraging, the excess water in the fresh foods will cause looser stools, but it's not a sign of any ailment it's perfectly normal... Since they don't 'pee' when they have excess water intake in their food or just because they drink a little extra that day it waters down their poop, perfectly normal to see their poop consistency change...

Also, you said they are provided food in the morning, does this food last all day? Chickens (less hybrid meat birds) should be offered food all day, not rationed at any time of day... If they are only offered a ration in the morning come, mid-day and evening they will be filling themselves with whatever they can find to sustain them the rest of the day, this can easily cause a nutritional imbalance and dietary shortage as they gorge on less than good food sources like grasses...

 

[Aslea]

It is enough food to last all day, they eat the rest at dusk.