Hate to ask but I have a poop question that I can't find an answer to

[BradyK]

I know you are all probably sick of poop questions. Just when I think I have this down pat......BAM a new case of questions.

I have a 5 almost six week old chicks. A buff orp, a NC Blue sex link and a barred rock.
The barred rock is pooping light brown every time she poops and it stinks something awful.
This has been happening for about 2 weeks. On the poop charts it looks normal and is somewhat formed but runny enough to make a hard clean up and the smell???? OMG !!!!!!!
Absolutely no blood.
I have added Kocchi to the water and have no luck changing it at all.
I wouldn't worry if it weren't happening each and every time.
They were all on Manna pro medicated feed for three weeks.
I opened a new bag that was full of tiny bugs and didn't want to use it because the bugs were so tiny they were crawling on the chicks and they were not weevils so I switched gradually using a combination of my left over good medicated to a bag of un-medicated chick feed I had ready to go for them
Should I be concerned? I mean this is really smelly and so weird that only one would have such an issue.
PS All three are very happy fat sassy and healthy.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Poop color and consistency has a lot to do with what they are eating. Higher protein feeds will make their poop softer and lighter in color. I would get rid of the bad bag of feed, it could be deadly, or at the least it could give vitamin deficiencies. Always buy fresh and return anything that isn't.

I never judge my chicks by their poop but by their behavior. Poop only comes into play if someone is looking sick or if I saw blood.

 

[BradyK]

Thank you so much. I feel better knowing it is ok as long as they eat and act normal. However my nose doesn't feel better. I mean shew smelly little poop piles. hahaha.

By the way they did NOT get any of the feed that had bugs in it. As soon as I saw the bugs, I removed it and blended some other manna pro medicated along with non medicated chick feed to help them switch over to the non medicated. I called the company and they sent me a new bag. I have never seen bugs like that but even though chicks eat bugs I was not about to give them that feed. The bugs were so tiny and almost mite sized. Uck.
Anyway I stuck with the manna pro non medicated crumble since I had already switched them over.
They had medicated for about 4 weeks. Do we think that is enough/? I could go back to medicated now that I have a fresh bag..

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I don't feed medicated, but I think it's only fed for 3 weeks. I feed my chick some scrambled eggs for a protein treat and that makes for some very stinky poops, so I'm familiar with the smell. What percentage protein is the manna pro? It could cause a bit of stinky poop. I like to add some clean sod clumps for them to pick at that age to help get the digestive system a boost from eating sand, dirt and greens.

 

[BradyK]

I had heard the same thing about feeding the medicated for only a short time and that is why I thought it would be ok to discontinue. I only feed them the occasional chopped up greens such as kale etc. as I heard they only need the feed until about 8 weeks.
I also of course offer chick grit.
That is a wonderful idea to offer some green goodies from my yard along with dirt from the yard they will be ranging on and remember reading that but you reminded me. Thanks so much. I really appreciate the knowledge of you pro's
I am at work and don't know the percentage of protein in the manna pro but will look it up.
Thanks so much fro responding and helping.

 

[lazy gardener]

One thing you might consider is fermenting their feed. I had a difficult hatch this spring, and some of my chicks (from shipped eggs) had poo that was quite liquid, frothy, and lighter in color than I usually see. As soon as they had been on FF for a couple of days, their feces became very normal.

 

[BradyK]

Wow thanks, I have a book that has a chapter on fermenting feed. Interestingly enough, these chicks came from a hatchery as well. My pet chicken.
I would really like to see this clear up for this gal so I will look in to fermenting. Is it difficult?

 

[BradyK]

Bird K I did want to clarify, I incubated the eggs from My pet Chicken BTW. They did not come as shipped chicks. I have a Brinsea

 

[lazy gardener]

No. fermenting is as simple as mixing some of your feed in a bucket with water. Dilute to the consistency of thick cooked oatmeal. Let it sit until it starts to produce bubbles, and then feed it to your birds. (2 - 3 days) With chicks it's very important that you only feed them a little bit and in such a way that they can't do a face plant in it, or get trampled into it. Chicks just love a food fight, and the only thing they like as much as that is thinking up new and novel ways to commit suicide, doing the fermented feed quick sand dive being one of them.

https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

 

[BradyK]

Thank you so very much for this information !!! I plan to try it.