Poopy Butts

[MamaJ1977]

The past week I’ve noticed 3 of my 4 girls have poop stuck in a trail down the feathers on their bottoms. I’ve checked out their vents the best I could and I don’t see anything out of the ordinary. They free range all day and get some table scraps as well as freeze dried mealworms and crickets. I’m wondering if this is just loose stools from something they ate, or a bigger issue like worms. I do add a splash of ACV to their water but haven’t done anything beyond that as far as preventative. I know I should be adding garlic powder to their feed but haven’t done this yet, so now I’m riddled with guilt that this is my fault.

I got them as chicks mid-April. They are otherwise happy, healthy acting and laying eggs. Photos for example, sorry for grossness! Thank you so much!

 

[jonezjollyfarm]

Could be something their eating giving them loose stools. Or could be worms. Have you gotten poopy eggs?

 

[NoFlyBackFarm]

You should look up Ivermectin and give it to them if they have worms. Pumpkin is a natural wormer if you want that.

 

[Kathy Golla]

I suspect its something they are eating in addition to their layer feed. Even freeranging its rare for pullets in a small flock to get worms this early in life. Unless you know they are pulling worms out of the ground, a lot.
I would suggest to remove a food variable one by one to see if thats it. I would start with the table scraps. You'll see it clear up within hours, food goes through hens that fast. You'll also notice the pattern. Firm stools without the food variable, then loose stools with the food variable (after eating).
If it keeps up like that you will get them losing their feathers in that area (cold) and reddened bottoms where the loose stools irritate the skin. The reddened bottoms will then be targets to peck, it can be a target for flystrike even in the winter in some climates (not CA). Its a bit of a vicious cycle.
My girls all get that diarrhea from scratch grain.

 

[MamaJ1977]

I actually got my first poopy egg today. Is this an indicator of worms? Thanks for all the input!

 

[MissChick@dee]

Those aren’t too bad. My girls get them once in a while. It happens. I trim mine with scissors. I posted this before ~about trimming them~and someone got freaked out about it. You just trim the dried poop lol not to the skin or nothing!
It’s easy if your girls are tame. I’m able to do it by myself. I just hook them under my left arm w/head towards my back and tilt their head down. Their natural reflex is to arch up when you tilt them and voila! Then trim. I actually took a pic the last time I had to do it because someone thought I was crazy and scalping the poor babies butts...and they would get cold!! Now I think about it, it’s still funny. Best wishes

 

[MissChick@dee]

I actually got my first poopy egg today. Is this an indicator of worms? Thanks for all the input!

It could be.
We had lots of rain and for the first time ever I had 2 eggs w/poopie on them. It was from their FEET.
I cleaned the boxes.
Put down fresh straw.
Haven’t had a problem since.

 

[jonezjollyfarm]

Yeah theres a difference from transferred poop and poop that came put on the egg. Usually poop that came off feet is everywhere on the egg. Poop that came out is clumps or smears. And that is a good indicator they have worms. You should deworming 2x a year just to be safe. I do mine in the spring and fall.

 

[dawg53]

Yeah theres a difference from transferred poop and poop that came put on the egg. Usually poop that came off feet is everywhere on the egg. Poop that came out is clumps or smears. And that is a good indicator they have worms. You should deworming 2x a year just to be safe. I do mine in the spring and fall.

That's not true.
There's been poop on my bird eggs, and I worm monthly without fail.

@MamaJ1977 I used to use scissors to trim poopy butts also. It's easier to use the garden hose and spray it off.

 

[MamaJ1977]

Thanks for all the advice. I will be trimming and rinsing chickens today, I guess, ha! The 3 with the poopy butts are pretty docile so that helps. I really appreciate all the input, this website is such an amazing resource!