Hen drinking excessively & watery stools

[Debbie292d]

I suspect a kidney disorder, only because your hen's acting abnormal to drink that much water. Her symptoms are the exact same as one of my rescued macaw parrots. I had to put a kitty litter box under where he poops, as there's no way I can keep his cage clean with as much water as he poops. He drinks double what the other one does. He's been doing this for a while now. I'm waiting to hear back from three vets I've emailed to see if someone can see him and properly diagnose it. Online parrot "vets" agree it's a kidney disorder of some kind. If I ever find out for sure, I'll let you know.

I finally found someone to see him (my rescued macaw who drinks double the volume of water my other one does and thus squirts out a lot of watery poops). This vet initially also thought kidney disorder but did a full and expensive workup including blood tests and determined no kidney ailment and no diabetes but highly suspects a tumor on his pituitary gland can cause this. She said there isn't a cure but I could prolong his life by using either soft water or bottled water instead of our well water. Just passing this on as I suppose you could also try a water source change if it's hard water.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

How’s your girl doing? Mine (almost 12 weeks) is the exact same! I have a thread going because I thought she might be sick or impacted. She’s perfectly fine with the exception of the excessive water intake. Exactly as you described yours. I do almost wonder if the excessive drinking has caused her crop to stretch a bit and perhaps become pendulous, or just stretched. I’m still watching and assessing. Hopefully she’ll never need a bra. It seems to hang a bit lower than all the others at this point, but I’m not too surprised considering the amount of water she intakes throughout the day. She’s an absolute ballon by the time she’s ready to roost lol.

There has not been any change for my girl. She healthy. Still laying. Still drinking a lot. Still pooping out watery poos.

Interestingly, she has 2 younger half siblings, and I’m noticing similar issues with them. They’re in a big flock so it’s hard to monitor exactly what’s going on, but one half sibling has had watery stool before, and the other I noticed is constantly drinking water. If it turns out it be something genetic, then I don’t want to breed these birds any further. It’s still extra haed to keep their coop and hen clean.

 

[Mebrou]

There has not been any change for my girl. She healthy. Still laying. Still drinking a lot. Still pooping out watery poos.

Interestingly, she has 2 younger half siblings, and I’m noticing similar issues with them. They’re in a big flock so it’s hard to monitor exactly what’s going on, but one half sibling has had watery stool before, and the other I noticed is constantly drinking water. If it turns out it be something genetic, then I don’t want to breed these birds any further. It’s still extra haed to keep their coop and hen clean.

Indeed interesting. I was starting to wonder about genetics. I’m also curious to see how she does when she’s ready to lay; hopefully no issues there. Does your girl have a distended crop at all or does it hang a bit low? Curious if her crop is a bit droopy (prior to gorging at the dispenser) like my girl’s. Based on your photo it doesn’t appear so?

 

[16 and me]

I have a speckled sussex, about 2 1/2 now, same thing for a year or so. She is otherwise perfectly healthy and happy - she went broody this summer and is currently just starting to separate from her 9 week old kids. (None are hers, I was also concerned about her passing on whatever defect is causing this issue - too bad though, she is a sweet and comically curious bird!) She got an impacted crop in the spring, and I thought she was a goner, but syringing out her crop throughout the day and leaving her to guzzle then repeat, along with mineral oil flush and she was as good as new in a few days. That was the only time she was ill. While broody., she only came out once daily and drank a normal amount for a broody hen. I hoped 3 weeks of this would break it if it was a habit, but no. She doesn't seem to be as obsessed, but it's also cooler now, nonetheless she still squirts out brown water. I haven't given up looking for the cause & solution, so if I ever figure it out I'll update.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

Indeed interesting. I was starting to wonder about genetics. I’m also curious to see how she does when she’s ready to lay; hopefully no issues there. Does your girl have a distended crop at all or does it hang a bit low? Curious if her crop is a bit droopy (prior to gorging at the dispenser) like my girl’s. Based on your photo it doesn’t appear so?

She does not have a distended crop. But throughout the day it’s plenty squishy with water. My girl is still young- 7 months- so I’m curious how this is going to play out. She is a great, consistent layer .

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

I have a speckled sussex, about 2 1/2 now, same thing for a year or so. She is otherwise perfectly healthy and happy - she went broody this summer and is currently just starting to separate from her 9 week old kids. (None are hers, I was also concerned about her passing on whatever defect is causing this issue - too bad though, she is a sweet and comically curious bird!) She got an impacted crop in the spring, and I thought she was a goner, but syringing out her crop throughout the day and leaving her to guzzle then repeat, along with mineral oil flush and she was as good as new in a few days. That was the only time she was ill. While broody., she only came out once daily and drank a normal amount for a broody hen. I hoped 3 weeks of this would break it if it was a habit, but no. She doesn't seem to be as obsessed, but it's also cooler now, nonetheless she still squirts out brown water. I haven't given up looking for the cause & solution, so if I ever figure it out I'll update.

Interesting. Makes me wonder if it could be breed specific. I have one SS hen, also very sweet, friendly, & curious (to the point of being a PIA, haha!). She does not have the watery stools (she’s way too busy being obsessed with food to take the time to be obsessed with drinking) but she’s the momma of the pullet who drinks all day long. She’s also the mom to the other 2 chicks who I’m suspicious may have similar issues.

 

[16 and me]

Interesting. Makes me wonder if it could be breed specific. I have one SS hen, also very sweet, friendly, & curious (to the point of being a PIA, haha!). She does not have the watery stools (she’s way too busy being obsessed with food to take the time to be obsessed with drinking) but she’s the momma of the pullet who drinks all day long. She’s also the mom to the other 2 chicks who I’m suspicious may have similar issues.

That's very interesting. In my search for answers to her "issue" I found a thread on here about another sussex with same issue, I'll see if I can find it again.

Their curious nature and sweet temperment is so endearing, but yes - Agnes is a PIA too! I'm often heard scolding her saying "it's always you, isn't Aggie?" In the garden, on the patio or the front porch, or slipping out of the pen just before I close the gate, and while I try to chase her back in, 7 other hens leave. I think she's the designated decoy (quick I'll distract her and y'all make a run for it!)
She's the most nurturing Mama hen, too - yet tough as nails - she gave the Roo a serious chest bump and chased him off for checking out what her kids were eating last week. Oh, life with chickens!

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

That's very interesting. In my search for answers to her "issue" I found a thread on here about another sussex with same issue, I'll see if I can find it again.

Their curious nature and sweet temperment is so endearing, but yes - Agnes is a PIA too! I'm often heard scolding her saying "it's always you, isn't Aggie?" In the garden, on the patio or the front porch, or slipping out of the pen just before I close the gate, and while I try to chase her back in, 7 other hens leave. I think she's the designated decoy (quick I'll distract her and y'all make a run for it!)
She's the most nurturing Mama hen, too - yet tough as nails - she gave the Roo a serious chest bump and chased him off for checking out what her kids were eating last week. Oh, life with chickens!

Our SS’s have to be related, lol! I tell my Specs all the time that she’s the reason we can’t have nice things. She’s the reason we had to go from a 4’ fence around the garden to 8’ . And also the hen who fits through EVERY open door/gate, and allows all the others to get through, too!

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

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.

 

[16 and me]

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.

Good idea. You may be right about the genetic disposition. All of my hens stopped by laying October 19th. They all went into molt except Agnes my watery drinker & Annie who both had chicks. 10 hens zero eggs. Agnes took her time with the little ones, but rejoined the flock at about 15 weeks. That was 3 weeks ago & still no eggs.
I am considering probiotics for her - just trying to figure out how to ensure she gets them if I decide to just give them to tje whole flock with their feed, or if there is a way to just dose her for a few weeks and see if it helps. I did see a post on a well-known thread on chicken poop, and it mentioned clostridium perfringens as a cause. I'll try to find the thread, but I took a screenshot and attached it.