redish orange poop??

[ercky&perky]

I have 6 2 month old brahmas that have been pecking each others back feathers off I heard vinegar in their water can stop this and can help with coccidiosis is this true?? since I added the vinegar some pooped orangey reddish very thick with white while another pooped lots of white with a bit of orange and red color is this o.k.?
or is it the vinegar, or a dietary thing anyone know

 

[chicknmania]

I don't know what kind of vinegar you're using, but the only thing I've ever heard that you can use for chickens is organic apple cider vinegar. I don't know if that is the reason for your problem, but also I have never heard of vinegar stopping that habit, though I suppose it's possible. Do you think your chickens have coccidiosis? It may be that they are too crowded and that is why they are pecking at each other. Where are you keeping them? I think I would stop with the vinegar, for now.

 

[vfem]

Is there blood in the stool? You may want to share some pictures... it could just be from the vinegar? I've never heard this theory.

 

[ercky&perky]

They were over crowded as hatchlings do you think this behavior continues after they are in a spacious pen, it is - 5 C hear in the evenings I am scared to leave the heat lamp on because I think that is causing the plucking, the guy I bought them from had 24 hr light.
The poop actually looked like raw hamburger chunks? really weird I couldn't say it had blood in it, it was thick and dry not runny really like red raw hamburger meat?
I will stop the vinegar I was using regular vinegar because it gets so cold here I really want them to get feathers on their backs and tails

 

[swtangel321]

Have you been feeding them any treats ???? If so what kind ????

 

[kinnip]

What kind of feed are you using? When I was using Country Acres feed, I had a lot of weird rust coloured poo. When I changed to Purina it stopped.

 

[wateboe]

I just experience something similar. We have just combined birds from two flocks (post-quarantine). I am providing vitamins and electrolytes as well as my standard apple cider vinegar in the water, just to give them a boost during this stressful time. My husband went a bit crazy with the vinegar one day when I wasn't around and REALLY over-did it. The next morning there were several "deposits" that looked a lot more like pumpkin pie with traces of whipped cream than the normal color and texture!

Sorry about the visual...

 

[chicknmania]

You can really overdo it giving them supplements, just like anything. Sometimes they don't really need it. I would just stick with a brand name feed and cut out everything else. Maybe you can make (or buy) saddles for them...people on the site sell them. I don't know if their overcrowding behavior could continue now. Although lots of people leave artificial light on for their chickens, we never do. And at night in the winter we turn the heat and heat lights off b/c we always worry about fire. They do ok, they just huddle together to stay warm and actually do a good job of providing their own central heating.

 

[ercky&perky]

I think it might have been the vinegar so far I don't see anything unusual, maybe stress?? they are unhandled and coming from cramped conditions earlier I find they are scared wuth eveything

I might let them run with my 16 free rangers soon the only thing is there are 5 roosters and the coop is a bit full right now. The free rangers are all getting sent to auction on the 25 should I keep them seperate till then or let them go together so the little ones learn what it is all about to go out and come in the coop at night? is that just instinctive free ranging and finding the coop at night? my worry is I will be causing the little ones MORE stress and in return they may get sick anyone have any feedback on this??
all your info has been great and I THANK YOU sometimes I think chickens are not that easy to grow and care for

 

[chicknmania]

It's up to you but if you want to auction your other birds AND keep stress down, I would suggest keeping them separated and the new birds confined for a month at least. After that, the new birds will be used to their surroundings and you will know that they are healthy or not, they should free range with no problem. Otherwise, they might give something nasty to the birds you want to auction off. And I have a personal vendetta against a couple of unknown people who in the past sold us birds at auction that were sick, and I'm pretty sure they knew it, or had a good idea.