Poopy butt

[NRacine]

Hi all,
I have 4 hens, they'll be a year old in about a month. I noticed over the last week or so that we've only been getting 2-3 eggs a day instead of 3-4. Today I noticed that there were eggs from only 3 chickens in the basket, someone wasn't laying all week! So I investigated and saw that one EE had a lot of poo dried to her butt.

So she got a bath and a bit of a feather trim on the worst areas. I got most of it off, but there are a few spots that were pretty hard to get without ripping out feathers. The area is clear now and it looks like she should be able to go about her business. I plan to give her another bath in a few days to get the rest of it when I have time to soak her longer. All the others are scheduled for baths this weekend too as preventative measures. I'm hoping she lays an egg today and gets back into the swing of things.

So, is there anything else I should do?

 

[Wynette]

This could be caused by parasites; you might consider worming her if she's never been wormed. One of the best, that gets just about every parasite out there is Ivomec Eprinex (it's a cattle wormer). However, it has not been clinically tested on chickens and, thus, the withdrawal period for not eating eggs is not known. If you choose this route, I'd refrain from eating eggs for a month.

There is a newer, all-natural wormer on the market that I have not personally used, but have heard lots of good reports on. It's called Verm-X, and here is contact info. on getting ahold of it. There is no withdrawal period.

Chris Dohogne
21696 Highway B
Lebanon MO 65536-7695
O: 417.532.4476
C: 417.718.5044
[email protected]
Verm-Xusa.com

Also note that hens DO need breaks periodically...she could be just going through a break now, and so do not be worried if you don't get an egg right away.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i've just started using the Verm-X wormer. It's all natural so no withdrawal period on the eggs. You just top dress it on the feed for three days every month. So far so good.

If you want to be sure about worms, take a sample of poo from your pen, collecting it in several areas to get a good variety. Have a vet do a fecal and they can tell you for sure if they have worms.

 

[agoodegg]

I have a hen with a poopy butt, and I took a fecal sample to the vet. Even though she is 4 months old, she tested positive for coccidiosis. I think getting her tested was very valuable to allow me to give her the correct meds. Unfortunately, she still has a poopy butt, as she has a prolapse, and I think this makes it difficult for her to 'evacuate' properly. I wish she were healing better!

 

[NRacine]

See, it looked like normal poo, it just got stuck in her fluff and turned into cement. It wasn't runny and there wasn't anything in it. I'll keep an eye on her and make sure I watch her poo.

 

[NRacine]

Okay, new development. I think she's molting, there are feathers EVERYWHERE! But she's now very lethargic, has her tail down, and just sits there. She won't eat, she won't do anything. We have her isolated in the basement, she seems to be just resting. This is our first time with chickens, do some hens get this worn out from molting?