intestinal lining in poop- how much is too much, and could it mean worms?

[AbbyDog]

I bought two 15 week old pullets a week ago, figuring it was faster and easier than raising them from chicks as I have done with all my other birds. They are in a separate coop from the others. Their feathers are sort of dull and beat-up, but their eyes are bright. One, maybe both of them, has been pooping lots of shed intestinal lining- but seemingly with every poop. I am worried as they don't have much of an appetite and feel really skinny- I think they have lost weight. The farm told me that they were fed chick starter. They only pick at it for me- and I have also tried layer pellets, scratch, bread, oatmeal, grass, scrambled egg, yogurt- with the same non-interest. There has been scratch laying on the ground in their coop for days now! Thinking that maybe they have worms, I got some Wazine yesterday and have been examining their poop looking for worms. Can any of you take a look at these pics and let me know what you think? Yes, I have already seen the infamous poop page. I have also offered them grit but they didn't seem much interested in that, either.









thanks!

 

[Judy]

I don't see any worms, but that may not mean anything. Do they kind of hunker down and fluff up as if cold? I would try a round of Corid in case their cocci load is that high. Maybe after that, a round of Safeguard. Good job on the quarantine, keep it up! And good luck!

 

[AbbyDog]

Nope, I don't think they don't have that cocci 'look'....but I could be wrong. They look pretty normal, other than being really thin, and not that hungry.



I am thinking that maybe only one of them now has the icky poop. Here is another pic of that, followed by a pic of the same poop but broken 'open'.







As you can see, there is a LOT of mucus or lining! The other thing is that although I have been offering them grit, they don't seem to be eating it as seeds etc are going right thru. I am putting ACV in their water now that they are off the wormer. Any thoughts?

 

[janinepeters]

Could it be that there is nothing wrong? Sounds like you are feeding them many different things, and a lot of it. Maybe there is just too much food for 2 hens to eat, hence all the leftovers. And maybe their poop looks different from most chicken poop because they are eating a lot of other stuff, not mostly chicken food. What I would probably do is take away everything but their starter (or layer pellets, if they have started laying), and then see what the poop looks like.

I think undigested seeds and berries are normal if they are eating a lot of them. Mine sometimes get a lot of leftover blueberries that are past peak. The chickens love them, but then poop out "blueberry poops" for the next day.

 

[Reurra]

My chicks did this up to a few weeks ago. I think its part of the growing process, shedding the lining as they grow new stuff. They acted normal and ate and drake normal so I did nothing and just observed. They are healthy and huge now. It cant hurt to give them vitamins though.