INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[hoosiercheetah]

One week into chicken ownership, 15 eggs from 3 laying hens, and everyone's doing great. Almost.

I'm still getting nasty, foamy yellow poop from at least one of the Black Orps. I don't know enough to be able to tell if these are normal cecal poop, or a sign of an infection.

I've done ACV in the water twice, and gave them some homemade (lacto-fermented) kraut a couple of times for the probiotics. So then I also have to question if the cabbage gave them the runs because they're not used to it? I feel like I'm flying blind. Anyone know a free chicken vet who makes house calls?

I'm really torn on this. On one hand, I want to just take them back where I got them, rather than risk infecting the rest of the flock. On the other hand, I'd hate to give them back if it's not serious. I'm starting to think the risk isn't worth it. I can always get more chickens to replace them, and probably for less than what I paid.

Opinions?

 

[ChickCrazed]

One week into chicken ownership, 15 eggs from 3 laying hens, and everyone's doing great. Almost.

I'm still getting nasty, foamy yellow poop from at least one of the Black Orps. I don't know enough to be able to tell if these are normal cecal poop, or a sign of an infection.

I've done ACV in the water twice, and gave them some homemade (lacto-fermented) kraut a couple of times for the probiotics. So then I also have to question if the cabbage gave them the runs because they're not used to it? I feel like I'm flying blind. Anyone know a free chicken vet who makes house calls?

I'm really torn on this. On one hand, I want to just take them back where I got them, rather than risk infecting the rest of the flock. On the other hand, I'd hate to give them back if it's not serious. I'm starting to think the risk isn't worth it. I can always get more chickens to replace them, and probably for less than what I paid.

Opinions?

One week in I would say there is an overwhelming chance they could have already given it to your other chickens if they were going to do so. Plus if you take them back and bring others in you risk bringing something WORSE into the coop from a new source if you don't quarantine for 30 days. Quarantine is really the only way to know you aren't bringing something very serious in. Diseases like Mareks or Coryza (both of which several members of this forum have experienced and which are almost often a death sentence for your whole flock).

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I'm not sure I'd worry about the humidity being too high. I read a couple of threads on this subject, including this:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/468984/lockdown-how-high-is-too-high-on-the-humidity

The more experienced people seem to say high humidity is only dangerous during incubation (first 18 days). That can cause fluid buildup in the air cell, and cause drowning at internal pip. This will not happen if humidity is high only the last 3 days.

As far as shrink wrapping - my understanding is that was caused by LOW humidity, not high. I just hatched a mixed turkey/chicken batch, and I followed the incubation and hatching directions on the Porters Turkey site. Which was to basically dry incubate (I averaged 35% humidity) and then keep the humidity as high as possible during lockdown, and to reduce the temp in the hatcher to about 98 ( I was actually probably closer to 97) I know I had peak humidity of 90%+.

It was the easiest and best hatch I've had. Both chickens and turkeys went from pip to hatch amazing fast, zipping was very quick. And it was a 100% hatch (6 turkey and 10 chicken). I also had zero issues with shrink wrap, which I've fought on every hatch before. Porter theorizes that the very high humidity softens the shells more, and that allows for easier pipping and zipping. This means the chicks aren't so worn out when they do finally hatch.

I still have lots of eggs in the incubator, and am going to keep trying the high humidity on the rest of my hatches this year. I'll report back on how it goes.

I was not too worried for the eggs. But more so for my 1588 incubator. The humidity was turning the display into a giant water bumble. Plus it was blocking my view of the chicks.
Of the 3 eggs left only 1 had pipped. I went ahead and checked the other 2 about an hour ago when the entire bator window was again filled with water dots and the humidity was over 90%. The humidity is still at 80% after I opened the bater twice now. It is the wet chicks running around.

As new chicken daddy on the heals of a bad spring hatch rate, I would welcome a broody hen. Yesterday and this morning I thought I had one. An easter-egger had been sitting on a nest for almost 24 hours this morning so I went out to add eggs to her. She got quite vocal (nothing new for this breed) as she realized I saw her and offered her the eggs. She immediately got up, jumped off the nest and is now playing with the others. Here's the kicker; there were ZERO eggs under her!

What gives? Was she trying to trick me? Is sitting for as long as she did a sign of broody? Should I leave the eggs I placed and wait or remove them?

Thank you.

She might have an egg that is taking a while to come out. Or she might be tricking the other hens.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

One week in I would say there is an overwhelming chance they could have already given it to your other chickens if they were going to do so.

That's what I'm afraid of. That's another reason I'm inclined to just keep them and see how it goes - damage is probably already done. But if it's something like worms, I don't want to keep them there, spreading more worms.

 

[kabhyper1]

Silkie eggs coming out the ears! Pm me if you want some. Im discounting them some since I have some new layers in the flock. Should all be fertile, but just in case. There are hen eggs in there too though, so there are definitely fertile eggs in the coop.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
Worms can be gotten under control pretty easily. Dish soap in the water for a couple weeks to a month. cay. pepper in the food also helps. There are also chemical de-wormers sold at TSC.

 

[ChickCrazed]

That's what I'm afraid of. That's another reason I'm inclined to just keep them and see how it goes - damage is probably already done. But if it's something like worms, I don't want to keep them there, spreading more worms.

If you can't see the worms in the poop it probably isn't worms. Livestock in general ALWAYS have worms, it only becomes an issue when the worms overwhelm the animal's system. This CAN happen when an animal is stressed (like after moving homes) and the immune system is compromised. At that point you should visibly see the problem in their poop.

There exists somewhere a poop chart. I know it has been posted on this thread before and shows examples of healthy vs unhealthy poop. That might help figure out whether it is normal or something to worry about. You might try searching for that to see if it is helpful.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

There exists somewhere a poop chart. I know it has been posted on this thread before and shows examples of healthy vs unhealthy poop. That might help figure out whether it is normal or something to worry about. You might try searching for that to see if it is helpful.

I found the poop chart earlier while I was searching this out in the rest of the forums... I'll have to look again at the poop board in my coop, and keep a close eye on who's leaving what overnight when they don't move around much. Just going off that chart, I'm not sure if what I'm seeing is normal cecal poop, or the foamy yellow stuff that the chart says is a sign of infection. I should probably get some pictures of what's going on and start a thread in the health and welfare area of the forums.

I also read in a thread somewhere that feeling their abdomen for heat and squishyness can help figure out what's up, so I'll handle them some more tonight. I guess if they don't die or get returned, at least they'll be used to me getting personal with them.

Has anyone ever had chickens react poorly to cabbage or sauerkraut? I tried searching this out, but I couldn't find anything about it.

 

[ellymayRans]

Got eight from the hatch, none of the Blues hatched though, and of those 3 died within 24 hrs. I picked the two that I had a feeling were pullets and traded the other three for a "new" incubator.  I also got "rights" to mate mine to my friends BCM roo when the time comes. So definately hoping these are girls!  Still havent gotten any pictures of my babies yet...will try this weekend if the weather holds.

Sorry about the losses! That was a good hatch rate though. Did you do eggtopsy on the blues? Out of all my hatches I've only hatched one blue of my own! I'm so disappointed at the moment! One of my broody girls got off eggs I found one zipping so I brought it in. It hatched but I've been busy and I think it got too hot. I wasn't prepared to do a rescue hatch and for now it's still breathing. I'm so mad ..I hate it when I mess something up!

This is right after it hatched. It's fluffed up but limp!

Here's my Blue a broody hatched this past week.

Sooo cute I love them!

 

[Leahs Mom]

@hoosiercheetah

One thing that everyone needs to be aware of. When you change an animal's feed, it can cause loose stools and there is a time of adjustment. The best way to change feed is to start out with some of the feed they are accustomed to, and GRADUALLY make the change.

I'm guessing that you didn't do that since your kiddos came from different sources and may very well have been on different feeds. If that's the case, I'd give it some time and not panic as a change in feed will definitely produce some loose stools, change in stools, etc.

As long as they seem to be acting normal - no puffing up, no separating themselves or lurking in corners,etc. - doing normal chicken things, bright eyes, etc....I'd give them some time to adjust to the new feed.

And, yes, some sauerkraut could cause a loose stool. It's one of those things you want to only give in a small amount. Add that to the major stress of a move, and moving in with other kids you don't know....I'd say what you're experiencing probably isn't abnormal.


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Not sure if this is what you're seeing or not... This wouldn't be surprising with a change in feed and the stresses of moving.




Note she said that the chicken was healthy and didn't have a major problem or illness.
Quote: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive.html

Edited to fix link.