I have 2 chick poo questions. . .

[gumbita]

1) I recently added two EE chicks to my other 4 silkie chicks that are 4 weeks old. The new chicks are about a week old right now. Both of them have really watery poo I noticed today. I've seen them poop from what looks like melted chocolate to what looks like nothing but water, almost clear. None of my silkies ever did this. The new chicks seem to be growing and eating and drinking. They are all on medicated feed as well. I did give the 6 of them a small cherry tomato to share earlier today, but I think I have seen the watery poop before today, but it just started alarming me today. Doesn't look like there is any blood in the poop either.

2) One of my silkie chicks likes to eat fossilized poo. I have been doing the deep litter thing in the brooder - twice a day I add new shavings on top and once a week I remove it all and put fresh bedding. But this particular chick loves to scratch around and dig down really deep and find hardened chunks of poo and it actually eats them - I've seen it swallow them. Is this normal??

Thanks!!

 

[azygous]

As long as your chicks are alert, active, eating normally, and not moping around with their eyes at half mast, watery poo isn't anything you need to worry about. It's normal for poo to be watery when hot weather arrives and they are drinking lots of water.

And, watery poo can be the default state of poo for some chickens. I have a two-year old Sussex hen who has had watery poo ever since I heard her first "splort" at age two days. Like you, I assumed she was sick or something, but she was, and is, an extremely healthy and happy chicken.

Oh, I almost forgot to add, eating fossilized poo won't hurt your hen. Those crops can handle just about anything that goes into it.

 

[CherishHolland]

It could also be watery due to the tomatoes as well I know when I feed my gals canned fruit their poos are a little watery,plus if it is hot they drink more and the poos will be watery as well. If they are active eating drinking no droopy wings or half closed eyes they should be okay.


ETA I have seen my chickens eat their own poops and even the dog's poo

 

[gumbita]

Thank you! They do seem pretty normal acting - as for the hot weather, they're still inside my house where it's a nice 77 degrees (other than under the heat lamp of course). They're not acting like it's too hot in there. So I guess I will just keep an eye on them and maybe hold off on the tomatoes for a few days . If they do start to go downhill, would I be concerned about coccidia (sp?) or would it be something else? Thanks!!