Hen drinking excessively & watery stools

[Mebrou]

An update for anyone who is interested…

My hen is now 9 months old. She continues to have watery stools. She laid prolifically through August and September. Egg production began slowing in October. She has not laid an egg since October 19.

Aside from lack of laying, and the continued watery stools, she has no symptoms of being unwell. Her comb is red, no indication of fleas or mites, legs and face look good, eats & drinks normally.

Her half sister is now 4 months old. She hasn't started laying yet. She also has watery stools. I don’t plan to hatch anymore eggs from this hen.

Thanks for the update! I also think you may be correct about genetics. Aside from the watery stools, my girl is 100% healthy and of decent size. She hasn’t started laying yet (5 month old Cochin mix) so I can’t use that as a health indicator. I did however check her bio mom which is my sister’s hen and she has the same soft lower-hanging crop and apparently had the similar symptoms as a pullet. So perhaps it is genetic and of no real concern. Im
obsessed with my girl (only one I consider a pet) and she has the sweetest disposition so I would still consider hatching one of her eggs in the future. Hopefully that gene won’t pass.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

Thanks for the update! I also think you may be correct about genetics. Aside from the watery stools, my girl is 100% healthy and of decent size. She hasn’t started laying yet (5 month old Cochin mix) so I can’t use that as a health indicator. I did however check her bio mom which is my sister’s hen and she has the same soft lower-hanging crop and apparently had the similar symptoms as a pullet. So perhaps it is genetic and of no real concern. Im
obsessed with my girl (only one I consider a pet) and she has the sweetest disposition so I would still consider hatching one of her eggs in the future. Hopefully that gene won’t pass.

I'd be curious to see what happens with any chicks you hatch from the hen. My SS who is the mama to my drinkers does not have the watery stools herself. Perhaps it skipps a generation?

I noticed over the past week or so that Brandy, my older pullet with the drinking problem, seemed to have her stools drying up a bit. Then I saw she had a cecal poop and it wasn't runny at all (or no more so than a regular cecal stool). I looked at it, and saw cecal worms inside . So now I am treating with Valbazen, and I'll see how this affects her stools moving forward. I do not believe the worms are the cause, as she was wormed with Safeguard back in the summer. And this is the first time I've spotted worms in her stools- and I've definitly been keeping an eye on her stools. I'm more curious if the worms could be the reason her stools have been less watery as of late- or if perhaps it's age-related and she is out growing it?? I'd love that! The younger pullet, Triscuit, makes such a disgusting mess everywhere she goes!

 

[Mebrou]

I'd be curious to see what happens with any chicks you hatch from the hen. My SS who is the mama to my drinkers does not have the watery stools herself. Perhaps it skipps a generation?

I noticed over the past week or so that Brandy, my older pullet with the drinking problem, seemed to have her stools drying up a bit. Then I saw she had a cecal poop and it wasn't runny at all (or no more so than a regular cecal stool). I looked at it, and saw cecal worms inside . So now I am treating with Valbazen, and I'll see how this affects her stools moving forward. I do not believe the worms are the cause, as she was wormed with Safeguard back in the summer. And this is the first time I've spotted worms in her stools- and I've definitly been keeping an eye on her stools. I'm more curious if the worms could be the reason her stools have been less watery as of late- or if perhaps it's age-related and she is out growing it?? I'd love that! The younger pullet, Triscuit, makes such a disgusting mess everywhere she goes!

I’ll definitely post an update when that time comes .
That’s interesting. I’ve never seen worms in my girl’s droppings and she’s never been dewormed. I would also love it if they grew out of this; pease keep us posted!
Tell me about it, it’s so hard to keep clean where she roosts Lol.