Does egg laying change the moisture level in the poop?

[lemongrass1000]

My hens have been laying eggs almost a month now. I clean the coop every day and noticed the moisture level of their poop is very high. Sometime the bedding(wood shavings) around the poop is soaking wet. The shape and colour of the poop look normal and healthy. But is this common to other hens?

 

[icy_flames]

My hens have been laying eggs almost a month now. I clean the coop every day and noticed the moisture level of their poop is very high. Sometime the bedding(wood shavings) around the poop is soaking wet. The shape and colour of the poop look normal and healthy. But is this common to other hens?

Mine have just a hit month of laying as well. I don't think there is more moisture but the size of their poop now is crazy. Almost half an egg sometimes, especially morning poop

 

[lemongrass1000]

Mine have just a hit month of laying as well. I don't think there is more moisture but the size of their poop now is crazy. Almost half an egg sometimes, especially morning poop

I was surprised with 'that' poop too.
I thought moist poop is caused by the change in diet as their feed has been changed from 'growers' to 'egg layers'. it is getting cool where we live and maybe they are still drinking a lot of water as if it is still summer. I will keep monitoring their poop. Thank you for your good information.

 

[3KillerBs]

Sometime the bedding(wood shavings) around the poop is soaking wet.

How much bedding do you have and how much ventilation is there?

A nice, thick layer of bedding should dry the poop out very quickly and really good ventilation will keep the bedding dry.

 

[aart]

I thought moist poop is caused by the change in diet as their feed has been changed from 'growers' to 'egg layers'.

That could very well be the reason.

Egg laying in and of itself only changes the size of the poops,
because they are eating more.

 

[Sally PB]

I noticed my girls' poops got darker in color too, when they started laying again. No change in food.

 

[lemongrass1000]

How much bedding do you have and how much ventilation is there?

A nice, thick layer of bedding should dry the poop out very quickly and really good ventilation will keep the bedding dry.

The bedding is about 2 inches and the coop is well ventilated. I pick up the poop early in the morning. I used to pick up the poop very clean with nothing attached, but now it is like the bottom is covered with wet wood shaving crumbles. I will keep on monitoring them. Thank you.

 

[3KillerBs]

The bedding is about 2 inches and the coop is well ventilated. I pick up the poop early in the morning. I used to pick up the poop very clean with nothing attached, but now it is like the bottom is covered with wet wood shaving crumbles. I will keep on monitoring them. Thank you.

Try doubling or tripling the thickness of the bedding so that larger poops will dry out faster. I use a minimum of 3-4 for the first few weeks of the Deep Bedding and keep adding more until I get up to 6-8 inches -- which is all I can put in before it spills out the access door.

 

[lemongrass1000]

I noticed my girls' poops got darker in color too, when they started laying again. No change in food.

True. I didn't realised that. It used to remind me of alfalfa pellets before! I miss my babies... they suddenly have grown up so big now... with giant poops!

 

[aart]

True. I didn't realised that. It used to remind me of alfalfa pellets before! I miss my babies... they suddenly have grown up so big now... with giant poops!

No more cute little pullet poops!!