Is this normal?

[TwoCrows]

You need to get them off the scratch and onto some real feed. There is no nutritional value in scratch. It is like eating candy all day long. As Iwiw has said, pellets may be too big for your birds so try to find some crumbles instead.

 

[drumstick diva]

Silkies can surprise you, they look all fat and fluffy. Then you pick them up and see they are all feathers and no fat. Were they laying well with just scratch?

 

[chooks4life]

You need to get them off the scratch and onto some real feed. There is no nutritional value in scratch. It is like eating candy all day long. As Iwiw has said, pellets may be too big for your birds so try to find some crumbles instead.

Wait, what? When you say 'scratch' what do you mean?

I see a lot of people use that vague term on this site and always think they mean some sort of 'coarse grain mix' since that's what it means over here, but perhaps it means something different in your country?

Best wishes.

 

[iwiw60]

Wait, what? When you say 'scratch' what do you mean?

I see a lot of people use that vague term on this site and always think they mean some sort of 'coarse grain mix' since that's what it means over here, but perhaps it means something different in your country?

Best wishes.

The OP to this thread stated:
Quote: Scratch here in the USA almost always means "cracked corn". And if that's what the OP has her birds on solely, she needs to use "scratch" only as a daily treat, not a steady diet.

 

[BantamLover21]

Glad you joined us!

Those droppings look like "normal" cecal droppings to me, for my flock. However, since they aren't usual for your flock, then yes, I don't think they are "normal." I would try to strengthen your birds' digestive tracts by giving them some probiotics (or plain yogurt) and some chicken vitamins/electrolytes. I would also worm them again, with a broad-spectrum wormer. Wazine only kills roundworms. Better wormer choices are SafeGuard or Valbazen.

Also, I would definitely stop feeding them just scratch. If the pellets seem too large, then I would see if you can find some crumbles.

Good luck!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

Yes, these are very normal poops called cecal.

 

[chooks4life]

Glad you joined us!

Those droppings look like "normal" cecal droppings to me, for my flock. However, since they aren't usual for your flock, then yes, I don't think they are "normal." I would try to strengthen your birds' digestive tracts by giving them some probiotics (or plain yogurt) and some chicken vitamins/electrolytes. I would also worm them again, with a broad-spectrum wormer. Wazine only kills roundworms. Better wormer choices are SafeGuard or Valbazen.

Also, I would definitely stop feeding them just scratch. If the pellets seem too large, then I would see if you can find some crumbles.

Good luck!

X2^, more helpful and succinct than my previous post about 'normal' vs otherwise. Apologies to all for my tone before, in retrospect it sounds pretty mealy-mouthed, lol... Didn't mean it that way.

To the OP: Cecal poops are definitely normal on some diets/for some flocks, and any poop that stinks like that and which is only normal for certain diets is not something I consider healthy offhand, but, my opinion there differs from others, obviously. In this case since they're not normal to your flock... What BantamLover21 said.

Also, hello and

Best wishes.

Scratch here in the USA almost always means "cracked corn". And if that's what the OP has her birds on solely, she needs to use "scratch" only as a daily treat, not a steady diet.

I see. I thought perhaps it meant a mix of grains. Guess not. Thanks for clearing that up.

Best wishes.

 

[thewildbunch]

Again - thanks for all the info. The scratch grain we had been feeding them is a 15 grain mix, although they seemed to pick and choose some of the grains over the others. They had been laying fairly well, considering they are silkies, but it began to slow down mid-summer. We started using crumbles but for some reason more of it ended up on the ground than in their bellies, so we thought we'd try the pellets. We found a brand that is smaller than most and so far it seems to be working out. Does anyone know anything about a pellet form wormer from "Rooster Booster?" It is supposed to be a wide spectrum wormer. It may be also that we are beginning to notice this "cecal" poop more due to two factors: 1. We have started using river sand in our coops and runs, and 2. our flock has been growing...more chickens = more cecal poop to see.

 

[TwoCrows]

Chickens pass about 4 or 5 cecal poops a day. You may just be seeing them more now that you are using sand.

When you switch over to something new like new sand, you may get lots of diarrhea at first. I use sand in my coop and run as well and every fall I reload the areas with new sand. Because this dirt is new and contains bacteria's they have not been exposed to, they can get diarrhea for 10 days or so after I add the new sand. Chickens become immune to their environment. Adding new sand is like moving them to new ground. So they have to develop new immunity to this new soil.

And yes as stated above, if these cecal poops have never been this color before it could be an issue. Keep an eye on the poop for a while and monitor the colors. I offer up probiotics several times a week to my birds water. 70% of the immune system is in the intestines. Bad pathogens can't survive in oxygenated areas of good bacteria. So by adding probiotics, you are not only assisting in stopping these pathogens from taking hold, but strengthening the immune system for the entire bird.

I would get them on a good feed that contains all the vitamins and minerals needed for good health. A seed only diet lacks so many things and is high in fat. It can lead to fatty liver and heart disease.

 

[HugHess]

Glad you joined us!

Those droppings look like "normal" cecal droppings to me, for my flock. However, since they aren't usual for your flock, then yes, I don't think they are "normal." I would try to strengthen your birds' digestive tracts by giving them some probiotics (or plain yogurt) and some chicken vitamins/electrolytes. I would also worm them again, with a broad-spectrum wormer. Wazine only kills roundworms. Better wormer choices are SafeGuard or Valbazen.

Also, I would definitely stop feeding them just scratch. If the pellets seem too large, then I would see if you can find some crumbles.

Good luck!

Hope this site may help you now and in the future, deciding what is 'normal' and what isn't...

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive.html