Hi! New member here, with a concern about one hen's bottom

[MsBrahma]

Hello,

We have five hens, hatched this past spring--two cinnamon queens, two black sex links, and one Brahma. All seem quite healthy, and everybody's laying (except for the gentle Brahma--a late bloomer, apparently).

My concern is about one of the sex-links. She had been going around with dark poop on her bum. I thought it was just a superficial, "cosmetic" issue, but when we eventually decided it was time for a clean-up, there was, like, a big poop ROCK dangling from her behind. About the size of a large walnut and cemented on. Her fluff was so embedded in it that it had already created a bare spot. Ouch! I carefully cut it off with scissors. (Those scissors got washed VERY well.)

I should mention that someone(s) is having blackish, tarry poops. Yes, I went online, and I have now seen many (too many!) pictures of normal and abnormal poop. Most of the doo we see about the place is unlovely, but normal. This greenish-black stuff, however, is really a mess. I'm assuming the afflicted hen is the one making it.

All the hens seem happy and lively. I should say that they are free range, get fresh water every day, have their chicken mash but seem to prefer to eat mostly what they find foraging in the field/yard. In terms of treats, we give them small amounts of chopped apple or tomato or the like. Oh, and they also eat the black sunflower seeds that fall from our birdfeeder.

Is this chicken in need of some medicinal intervention, or is her affliction just a cosmetic indignity, to be remedied by occasional discreet clean-up?

Thanks for any comments you can offer!

 

[sunflour]

glad you have joined us.


The tests for blood in stool are over the counter at most pharmacies or chain grocery stores in the pharmacy section. Try testing the poop to make sure if it is blood or not. Tomatoes and a lot of greens can make black looking poops. Overeating can also cause poopy butts.

If she looks, acts and eats normally, and the poop has no blood, then in my opinion it is likely not a health issue

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. You've been given some good advice by sunflour so I'll just say, "If you haven't done so already, definitely check out our Learning Center at https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center. There is lots of useful information there. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Cheers."

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Glad you could join us here! Sunflour has left you some excellent advice Wishing you the very best of luck and enjoy BYC

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC and i hope that you enjoy being a member as much of the rest of us. As you've already seen, there's lots of great peeps here who are more than willing to help out others.

I am currently observing a similar phenomena with my commercial layers, but i put it down to their voracious appetite, size (Sumo wrestlers of the chicken world) and the fact that none of my other girls get messy.

Wishing you all the best
CT

 

[MsBrahma]

Thanks to all for your comments and suggestions! Wow, people from all over the place here!

I will pick up the blood test kit. All four of the "commercial" birds are laying an egg a day, usually, so they are eating a lot...

cheers!

 

[Pork Pie]

You are most welcome!

Good luck and let us know the results ok?

cheers
CT

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[NickyKnack]

Hello!

Welcome to BYC and the coop! There's a lot of great peeps here! Feel free to ask lots of questions. But most of all, make yourself at home. I'm so glad you decided to joined the BYC family. I look forward to seeing you around BYC.