Help! Will beets stain chickens' droppings???

[PrimeFactor]

Please advise! Just let out my 2 black australorps and was cleaning the pine shavings beneath their night-perching area and the pale shavings are stained dark red around the droppings. Doesn't look wet or thick like blood, but VERY bright color has me scared. It just looks like how ink seeps into something when you leave the cap off a marker. Hens are behaving normally. I have given them some chopped raw beets the past few days... Could that be it?

 

[PirateGirl]

I have not fed beets specifically, but yes, food can stain their droppings. You should see the alarming color after eating blueberries! If they are acting healthy, I would skip the beets for a day or two and just keep an eye on them and their droppings. You could even lay some newspaper under the roost so the droppings will be easy to see tomorrow morning. I'd put my bet on the beets.

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

A member posted not that long ago about feeding their chickens, red cabbage I think it was? It turned their chickens poop blue. Another member commented on how it looked like "smurf poop", that's why I remember it. It was funny. I can definitely see beets changing the color of a chickens poop and how it would give you a fright at first.

 

[Eggcessive]

With just 2 chickens, you should be able to follow them some and get a sample of more droppings today. If not put something under the roost this evening. Post pictures of poop if you can. I would be concerned about coccidiosis if the poop looks red. Stop the beets. Many foods can turn poop colors, a lot of the time it can be blue green when eating berries or red cabbage.

 

[staceyj]

A picture wouldn’t hurt and checking again tomorrow, but Yes! Beets WILL DO THAT.

*Also magnolia tree seeds will produce overnight droppings that look like MASSIVE bright red bloodloss that also leeches into the shavings.