All of the chicks are doing great except I have one that has bad runny poops. Not sure which one (we have 4) but really concerned who ever it may be and whatever they may have may spread to the others. Any suggestions?
What do the runny poops look like? Do they have any white in them, or are they dark brown and sticky looking? Chickens have what are called cecal poops from the part of their digestive system that processes cellulose (plant material like leaves and grass). These cecal poops occur approximately one in ever 10 poops. If there is white in the runny poop, hopefully someone can chime in with suggestions.
Poop from chickens can vary alot but most are healthy poops. Here is a post with a lot of pictures of chicken poop and all are healthy except what is shown at the very bottom. http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0
This is what I've observed about chicky poo! I recently bought 5 Swedish Flower Hen Chicks. I am keeping them in a portable play pen lined with a mixture of fine pine chips and some confetti type paper shreddings. It is really working out nicely, Each day when I let the little ones out to run around on the floor and practice their takeoff, I sift through their litter cleaning out clumps of poo ( yes, with my bare hands, much to my own surprise). Thank God there are no runny poos, just nicely formed specimens. Of course, while they're running about on the floor, they leave droppings. I follow behind with tissues and wet wipes. I have noticed that the droppings on the floor are caramel colored and runny. I'm wondering if all the excitement of being out of their pen and running about makes them have these runny poopies. When they go back into their pen, everything is back to normal. Any thoughts?
Quote:Interesting observation you made. I also have notice and at one time I was panicked bc it looked like my kids also had something going on like you suggested looking at the chart that was posted I found when I was new to the forum was surprised at the different types of poops our kids made that was actually healthy that really looked alarming ill filled with sickness and strange looking poops that I would have thought they were very sick. Take a horse for example, they do not eat treats we give them other than an apple or a carrot. Most animals like a dog do much better with dog food and are healthy pets bc we feed them only dog food but when I give my dogs a table treat I know that I will be looking for and expecting a runny poop or diarrhea. When a dog eats cat food for my cat my dog gets runny or with diarrhea. Chickens were meant to scratch around and are scavengers and eat the chicken feed we feed them when they are in a production flock and the sick chicks only have a frightening looking poop that is not normal with the little white topping. Then we as chicken owners have discovered giving our chickens treats all ranges of treats even though meats are protein, cottage cheese is protein and other cheeses are proteins. Then we offer rice, spaghetti, noodles, yogurt, eggs and many other foods like apple cores, watermelon, cantaloupes and many other fruits that you would not see in the bag of carefully mixed foods for the chicken. I bet if you were honest in the test that I suggest you would see a very different story in your chickens poops with very little variance. #1 Feed your kids for 1 month regular chick food. If it is young kids feed them medicated chick feed only. If they are juveniles feed them flock raiser food only. If they are 22 weeks and older feed them just layer feed. second part of the test. #2 Feed you kids regular foods and add all the crazy foods you want or give them assorted foods with the regular food and start looking at how there poo poos start changing to runny and alarming looking movements. I did and the results were exactly what I expected but I will not post my results for a bit to see what you and others come up with. However it would be boring to you and the chicks to not feed treats. My idea is treat is a trea and you give it 1 time a week as a treat not a daily meal and you will see a much different story. Good luck hope I answered you question and is JMHO
