Non laying hens taking massive poos

[Jakico]

I have 8 chickens and variety of breeds. Half are three years old and the other half are two. Last year our gold sex link, started laying weird eggs like soft shelled, tailed or shell-less eggs. She was taken to the vet and given antibiotics. She maybe laid one or two normal eggs that year. But has remained strong and top pecking gal. Sometimes she sits in the box and does nothing. I’m happy she’s alive so I don’t really care. The other in question a buff brama. She was never a great layer. She’s pretty big so she can’t fit in the normal laying box, we built her special box but all the other chickens decided to use it. So she’s basically decided not to lay, although she went quite broody last year. Both chickens are from our three year old group and are not laying this spring. However, their roosting spots are filled with mountainous piles off poo almost every morning. I am shocked it’s like the entire chicken was filled with poop and deflated in that very spot overnight. Is this normal for non laying hens to poop their entire body size each night? The good sex link is more watery in texture and smells like hot cat pee. The buff brama is just like normal chicken poo, but like 2 pounds of it nightly. The other girls are all laying and pooping like normal chickens. WTF?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I've had some serious poopers in my flock, but that does sound excessive. It could be digestive issues.

One time I had 2 Cream Legbars that had massive, pale poo. I suspected some coccidia overgrowth in them and put them on medicated chick feed, which amazingly set them right.

So it could be worms or a mild coccidia overload or the fact they aren't digesting their food well.

Curious what others say.

LofMc

 

[Jakico]

I've had some serious poopers in my flock, but that does sound excessive. It could be digestive issues.

One time I had 2 Cream Legbars that had massive, pale poo. I suspected some coccidia overgrowth in them and put them on medicated chick feed, which amazingly set them right.

So it could be worms or a mild coccidia overload or the fact they aren't digesting their food well.

Curious what others say.

LofMc

I was a GI nurse and I haven’t seen this much sh!t in the entirety of my career. It’s impressive. I almost proud of them.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Impressive is broody poo. The hen sits all day, and then once a day takes a ....well outing. What she leaves behind is truly a monument.

But these gals aren't brooding...which takes me back to digestive issues.

LofMc

 

[Jakico]

Impressive is broody poo. The hen sits all day, and then once a day takes a ....well outing. What she leaves behind is truly a monument.

But these gals aren't brooding...which takes me back to digestive issues.

LofMc

Working today in nursing I have no problems removing and rummaging through the poo. I see no worms or eggs, no mucus, no discoloration. What was the medicated food you used? I’m also from the PNW perhaps I could find it here in Portland?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

As a nurse, you will understand that the only "real" way to determine if there are worms is with a fecal float, however, no signs in poo is a good sign.

Since it was only over production of poo (which a mild coccidia overload can cause as coccidia can harm the lining of the gut), I merely placed it on medicated chick feed which has low dose amprolium.

Portland metro gal myself. You can get medicated chick feed, your choice of brand, at any of the feed stores. I normally shop at Coastal or Wilco.

LofMc

 

[Jakico]

As a nurse, you will understand that the only "real" way to determine if there are worms is with a fecal float, however, no signs in poo is a good sign.

Since it was only over production of poo (which a mild coccidia overload can cause as coccidia can harm the lining of the gut), I merely placed it on medicated chick feed which has low dose amprolium.

Portland metro gal myself. You can get medicated chick feed, your choice of brand, at any of the feed stores. I normally shop at Coastal or Wilco.

LofMc

I’ll hit the feed store tomorrow. See if that helps. Weird it’s just the two non laying gals. Otherwise they eat the same, live the same and all act healthy and enormously happy and obnoxious.

 

[chickfused]

How'd this turn out? I must know

 

[jBabychickn]

I’ll hit the feed store tomorrow. See if that helps. Weird it’s just the two non laying gals. Otherwise they eat the same, live the same and all act healthy and enormously happy and obnoxious.

I’m following too!

 

[Jakico]

Both those birds started laying….they still take giant craps. I have no idea. The one that had watery foul smelling poop ended up being another chicken. She got very sick and I took her to the vet and they told be she had ovarian cancer, I had her put down . Other two girls seem fine. I switched their bedding from wood shavings to construction sand so I can scoop the massive turds like cat litter.