Poop

[MightyMama]

I hatched my own chicks and don't currently have any older chickens. Is it normal to occasionally have a splashy watery poop? They are 2 weeks old and have plenty of normal looking poops, but occasionally one will let out a sprayer. Everyone looks good, no one is acting funny. I've been feeding them medicated feed. Should I add anything to their water? and if so, how much?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Cecal poop, it's the most stinky one there is There is nothing you can to that will "cure" it Got pics? Sometimes if chicks are too warm, check the temp in your brooder ensuring they can move away from the heat if they choose to. I add ACV (with the Mother) to their water (1T/gal), find it helps with pasty butt but not Cecal Poop .

 

[MightyMama]

No picture, but I can get one tomorrow if its important. It usually does make a powerful smell, but its more watery than what I thought was cecal. I don't think they are too warm, and anyway when it happened tonight they were out of the brooder while I was cleaning it (and had been for 5 minutes). They have access to a warm side and cold side. The temp in the house has been a bit lower than usual the last two days and so they are huddling more when they sleep (not when awake and active), if they pile when sleeping its more of a sign of too cold, right? Any lower and I was getting chicks sleeping far away from the light.

Hang on, can it make a difference since I have some chicks that are nearly fully feathered and some who are still fluffy? Can my feathered friends be too warm but the fluff balls still need more heat?

 

[ChickNanny13]

The Fluff Balls do need more heat than the Feathered but if they're together & have heat, can get away from it if too warm, you're good. Yes they huddle when sleeping, sound as your set up is good. What are you using for heat?

Does sound like cecal poop, no pic necessary & don't let it get on your clothes, it stains. It could be more watery due to drinking more water.

 

[MightyMama]

Red heat lamp, I move it up when I start to see them sleeping on the other side. It's actually a lot cooler in there than the 90 or whatever it's supposed to be at. I stopped measuring the temp because what the temp was telling me was different than what the chicks were telling me.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Have you read about the MHP (heating pad) heating? You may want to check it out in the Raising Chicks forum by Blooie. I tried it & converted, no worries about over heating nor fires, chicks are calmer & quieter, sleep at night. Love it

 

[MightyMama]

We are on a tight budget, and my heat lamp clamp is amazingly strong. We bought a second light at our local feed store and immediately returned it because I can see how people have trouble with them slipping. Maybe next time, but we don't plan on hatching a ton of eggs.

If I go off of feather development/auto sexing at day 1, I think I have 9 pullets (out of 17), which is how many I was hoping for.

 

[1stimeChickMom]

I am new to this also but, I feel like I need to throw out my 2 cents on pasty butt which is in the lovely “poop” category. The posts (many) I read said you could use Vaseline or cooking oil to help keep it at bay....don’t do it! It only bugs them and they pick at their now greasy bootie.
Hold their rump under a steady warm stream of water until it loosens then use a ear swab to gently get rid of it. THEN use a low heat blow dryer to fluff it back up - this is crucial because you don’t want them to get cold and it feels good - mine fall asleep while I’m blowing out their “poo do”.