Poopy Butt, Soft Eggs, and Suggestions for Epson Salt Bath

[mtillitski]

Dear Chicken Experts,

My Buff Orpington, Catherine the Great, has a poopy vent. I tried cleaning with a warm wrap last night. Couldn't get it all. She's also one of two candidates for laying soft-shelled eggs. I feel like an epsom salt bath is in order. It's kinda cold here. Do I bring her inside to the sink? Do I try to blow dry her? Let her run around the house? Set up a little indoor hospital in the dog crate?

I've ordered Oyster Shells to add to the food. I currently give the girls layer pellets, with cracked corn, and grubs for snacks--All from Scratch & Peck Feeds.

I'm also headed to get fresh hay for the coop. It's pretty clean but just in case there is some bug going around. I have noticed some runny poop.

I am a new chicken mom and no matter how much I read, podcasts I listen, or time I spend trying to be prepared, I feel like I am in a perpetual state of problem-solution-panic with my girls. I love the so much!

Appreciate all advice.

Yours, Melinda

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I've ordered Oyster Shells to add to the food. I currently give the girls layer pellets, with cracked corn, and grubs for snacks--All from Scratch & Peck Feeds.

Photos of the poop?

Do you provide grit (crushed granite)?

How are you feeding the pellets are you mixing the corn and grubs in? The feed you have does it already include grubs or no?

Depends on how dirty she is - if you feel she must be cleaned up and she's not lethargic or acting sick, then clean her up. Blow dry her and put her back outside.

Provide oyster shell free choice. Treats like Corn and Grubs give sparingly - choose 1 of those to give daily about 1tblsp per bird.

How many pullets do you have and how much space?

 

[Eggcessive]

Stop any foods but the layer feed. Don’t add oyster shell to feed, but have it in a separate container for free taking. For the hen you suspect, you can isolate her in a dog crate with food and water, and watch for her next egg. A human calcium tablet with vitamin D or Tums can be given for 3 days to see if the egg shells become hard. Some hens may lay shell-less eggs due to a reproductive condition or past exposure to infectious bronchitis virus. A simple Dawn soap bath in warm water, rubbing the soiled areas after soaking, then blow dry and keep her inside until she is fully dry would be what I would do.

 

[Kiki]

One of the problems could be the food and treats you are feeding.
By feeding a whole grain type feed the bird has the options to pick and choose which grains they want to eat and which they don't.
This in itself can cause the bird to not have a balanced diet.
That, on top of feeding treats, can cause egg laying issues.

I highly recommend stopping all treats immediately and switching to a crumble or pelleted type feed asap.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I highly recommend stopping all treats immediately and switching to a crumble or pelleted type feed asap.

layer pellets, with cracked corn, and grubs for snacks--All from Scratch & Peck Feeds.

OP says they are giving pelleted layer feed.

 

[Kiki]

OP says they are giving pelleted layer feed.

I did not know that scratch and peck actually made pelleted feed.
I must have not read that one word pelleted and only saw cracked corn and scratch and peck.

 

[Kiki]

How exciting! Scratch n peck does make pelleted feed now.
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah!


I should edit my post but instead of doing so I'll say stop feeding the corn and mealworms if you're feeding them often.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yep. They have pelleted feed LOL

 

[mtillitski]

One of the problems could be the food and treats you are feeding.
By feeding a whole grain type feed the bird has the options to pick and choose which grains they want to eat and which they don't.
This in itself can cause the bird to not have a balanced diet.
That, on top of feeding treats, can cause egg laying issues.

I highly recommend stopping all treats immediately and switching to a crumble or pelleted type feed asap.

Thank you! You are right,

Stop any foods but the layer feed. Don’t add oyster shell to feed, but have it in a separate container for free taking. For the hen you suspect, you can isolate her in a dog crate with food and water, and watch for her next egg. A human calcium tablet with vitamin D or Tums can be given for 3 days to see if the egg shells become hard. Some hens may lay shell-less eggs due to a reproductive condition or past exposure to infectious bronchitis virus. A simple Dawn soap bath in warm water, rubbing the soiled areas after soaking, then blow dry and keep her inside until she is fully dry would be what I would do.

Stop any foods but the layer feed. Don’t add oyster shell to feed, but have it in a separate container for free taking. For the hen you suspect, you can isolate her in a dog crate with food and water, and watch for her next egg. A human calcium tablet with vitamin D or Tums can be given for 3 days to see if the egg shells become hard. Some hens may lay shell-less eggs due to a reproductive condition or past exposure to infectious bronchitis virus. A simple Dawn soap bath in warm water, rubbing the soiled areas after soaking, then blow dry and keep her inside until she is fully dry would be what I would do.

Watching and waiting now to see if she lays a normal egg? She's clucking in the nest box so crossing fingers an egg comes.

There's a chance Catherine's poop butt isn't related to the soft eggs at night? The girls are only 8 months old and not laying every single day. It might be the other Buff, Dolly. Watching carefully and writing it all down because I am so forgetful.

Her poopy is butt is pretty yucky. Going to proceed with the bath and blow dry. My gut says it can't hurt.

I probably overdue the treats. I have a pellet feed and will limit it to pellets only. Putting the oyster shells out separately.

 

[mtillitski]

Photos of the poop?

Do you provide grit (crushed granite)?

How are you feeding the pellets are you mixing the corn and grubs in? The feed you have does it already include grubs or no?

Depends on how dirty she is - if you feel she must be cleaned up and she's not lethargic or acting sick, then clean her up. Blow dry her and put her back outside.

Provide oyster shell free choice. Treats like Corn and Grubs give sparingly - choose 1 of those to give daily about 1tblsp per bird.

How many pullets do you have and how much space?

I don't have photos but I can work on taking a few.

Yes, I mix some grit in the food. I also supplement with greens from the garden, but they don't seem to choose those over the pellets.

She's not lethargic or acting sick.

Yes, there are grubs included in the pellets. Probably overdoing it then, huh?

The girls are about 8 months old. I have 5. They free range in a fenced yard about 1/5 an acre. The coop is 4 x 8. I am working on plans for a chicken run because hawks seem to be checking in on them more regularly.