Nasty Butts

[BeckiinVA]

I have 7, 9 month old Barred Plymouth Rock hens. In the last couple of weeks, several of them have constantly dirty butts, covered in poo. All have bright red, healthy-looking combs and wattles, feathers are healthy looking, no loss of, or increase in appetite, all are still foraging like crazy from the time I let them out until they go to roost in the evening. Poo looks almost normal, just a bit runnier than it should be. Egg production has not dropped off. Nobody looks skinny or bloated. Other than these horribly dirty bottoms, they seem to be happy, healthy birds. Should I be worried about something like Vent Gleet or worms? Typically, this breed of bird isn't a "dirty butt" bird.

I feed them an organic layer crumble and give them a bit of scratch grain in the afternoon and they have constant access to clean, cool, fresh spring water. As a precaution, I add organic ACV with the mother to their water once a week at 1 TBS per gallon. I'm thinking about adding a crushed clove of garlic to the water when I replenish it this afternoon, and perhaps giving them a bit of unsweetened yogurt in case this is Vent Gleet.

Any thoughts/help will be greatly appreciated! TIA

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you have photos?
Is it just poop stuck to the fluff or is it a runny mess.
Sometimes hen have that extra fluff where poop sticks. Give them a clean up and take a look (and smell). Vent Gleet from what I understand has a yeasty smell and is white and pasty.
Getting a fecal float to rule out worms is always a good idea.

https://www.tillysnest.com/2012/12/vent-gleet-prevention-and-treatment-html/

 

[dawg53]

I doubt it's vent gleet, you'd know it by the foul smell. Use your garden hose to spray off their butts, then release them. You can trim back their fluff wih scissors a little, but not too much.
I did this with my BR's and do it with my other birds as well as not to attract flies.

 

[BeckiinVA]

Do you have photos?
Is it just poop stuck to the fluff or is it a runny mess.
Sometimes hen have that extra fluff where poop sticks. Give them a clean up and take a look (and smell). Vent Gleet from what I understand has a yeasty smell and is white and pasty.
Getting a fecal float to rule out worms is always a good idea.

https://www.tillysnest.com/2012/12/vent-gleet-prevention-and-treatment-html/

Thanks for the reply, Wyorp Rock. It isn't a "runny mess", but does look kind of wet sometimes. It is streaks of what is usually dry looking white poo. Doesn't really look like the photo above, or any photos of Vent Gleet I've seen. I don't have any photos, and these girls are runners the second I open the chicken house door. I'll try to get one off the roost tonight and see about a photo shoot of her rear. Thanks so much!

 

[BeckiinVA]

I doubt it's vent gleet, you'd know it by the foul smell. Use your garden hose to spray off their butts, then release them. You can trim back their fluff wih scissors a little, but not too much.
I did this with my BR's and do it with my other birds as well as not to attract flies.

Thanks, dawg53. They don't seem to be particularly stinky.