One bird with black poo

[MissGreenJeans]

Hi, everyone. I’ve recently moved my birds outside to an enclosed run, and I’ve noticed that one of the seven is pooping black cecal and non-cecal poops. I know birds can sometimes eat stuff that causes color change, but all the birds have access to the same stuff. They’re 19 weeks old, and I haven’t yet started feeding many treats, except for some dried fly larvae.

Deets per guidelines:
1) Welsummer hen, smallest of group (not sure of weight), 19-20 weeks of age
2) No abnormal behavior—eating, drinking, scratching around, etc. Not lethargic. Is choosing to sleep in nest box, though. (They’ve just moved out, and they’re new to roosting. She’s the only one who doesn’t. I’ve gone out and out her on the roost with the others for the past couple of nights and she’s stayed put, but I let her go in the nest box tonight in case she’s not feeling well.)
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? About three days I think.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? Nope.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. Nope.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. They’re newly into the coop and run… There’s been a bit of nervousness and flying about. No injury that I witnessed, though.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. Purina chick crumbles (medicated), plain water
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. I think normal consistency for both cecal and regular poop (urates on top). But both black.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? None.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? Will get to vet if I should!
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may helpAttached a photo showing this bird’s poop next to another’s for comparison. Also attached is a pic of another of this bird’s poops and what I think was a cecal poop from her and Also added a pic of some dried poop—also looks black. Not sure if it came from her but suspect so. Have seen other birds pooping normally (brown shades).
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use: They have dirt and large wood chips in the run. They also have an attached coop. The bedding/litter inside is aspen shavings.

Would appreciate any advice! She doesn’t seem to be in distress, but I’m worried about my Wellie! (In case this matters, the other birds do sometimes pick on her a little. She appears to be at or near the bottom of the pecking order.)

Thanks in advance!

 

[azygous]

This subject crops up every so often, and it often has a simple explanation absent diarrhea or behavioral abnormalities.

Look around the area where your chickens like to hang out or dirt bathe. Examine the soil carefully. Chances are you will find ashes or charred wood in the soil. When chickens ingest this when searching for grit, it can turn poop jet black. I've seen this in my own flock when I toss some wood ash in their dirt bathing spot. It's harmless.

Now, should the poop turn into black diarrhea and the chicken begin to behave lethargically, then it could be a sign of internal bleeding.

 

[MissGreenJeans]

This subject crops up every so often, and it often has a simple explanation absent diarrhea or behavioral abnormalities.

Look around the area where your chickens like to hang out or dirt bathe. Examine the soil carefully. Chances are you will find ashes or charred wood in the soil. When chickens ingest this when searching for grit, it can turn poop jet black. I've seen this in my own flock when I toss some wood ash in their dirt bathing spot. It's harmless.

Now, should the poop turn into black diarrhea and the chicken begin to behave lethargically, then it could be a sign of internal bleeding.

Thanks for the reply, azygous. I’ll go out and have a look at the dirt, just in case, but I don’t think that’s it. I had to construct their run by filling the space with new screened topsoil. No other dirt underneath (gravel was there before I dug it out and replaced it). Did put large, thick wood chips on top. (Purchased a load of those so none charred.) Could pecking at just screened topsoil cause this? I just can’t think of anything else they would have had access to besides their feed—and maybe unlucky bugs that made their way into the run?

Thanks for the advice about behavior and other symptoms. Makes sense. I’ll watch her carefully for lethargy, diarrhea and other signs of trouble.

 

[azygous]

Screened top soil could cause black poop if it has lots of decomposed vegetative matter in it. My chickens also have black poop occasionally when they are digging in my horse compost that has large amounts of this vegetative material by virtue of the kinds of plants horses eat.

But unless any chickens are behaving sickly, you shouldn't waste time worrying about it. That poop you posted a photo of couldn't be any healthier.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Those poops look black, but not necessarily cecal. Cecal looks kinda greasy (full disclosure: It may be my phone's display). It really does look like it's something she ate. I'd keep an eye on her behavior, as @azygous suggests.

It's probably the new dirt. She probably got so excited ag her new luxury accommodations that she pigged out!

 

[MissGreenJeans]

Screened top soil could cause black poop if it has lots of decomposed vegetative matter in it. My chickens also have black poop occasionally when they are digging in my horse compost that has large amounts of this vegetative material by virtue of the kinds of plants horses eat.

But unless any chickens are behaving sickly, you shouldn't waste time worrying about it. That poop you posted a photo of couldn't be any healthier.

Oh good. WHEW! I’m still so new to all of this stuff, raising my first flock. Astounded by the variety of what’s “normal” when it comes to this part!

 

[MissGreenJeans]

Those poops look black, but not necessarily cecal. Cecal looks kinda greasy (full disclosure: It may be my phone's display). It really does look like it's something she ate. I'd keep an eye on her behavior, as @azygous suggests.

It's probably the new dirt. She probably got so excited ag her new luxury accommodations that she pigged out!

She probably did. I never knew that dirt could bring such joy. (It totally does.)