Runny poo

[skatcatla]

I'm wondering if I should be concerned. My four girls are about 3.5 weeks old and seem to be healthy, active and happy. The only thing is that they all seem to have versions of runny poo, VERY smelly, but not necessarily at the same time. One day one of them will have normal poo, while everyone else has the runs, and then the next day it switches. Very confusing!

I did start letting them out onto the lawn for brief periods to scratch around, so I was thinking it might just be the addition of new items to their digestive system (grass, ants, etc).

Sometimes the poo is very reddish brown, today someone had green runny poo (I figured from the grass two days ago?)

Anyway, I'm just wondering how concerned I should be about it, and if there is something I should give them?

 

[skatcatla]

I just had a second thought. Could a simple stressor cause a squirt of runny poo? I ask because most of the poo in their brooder seems fine.. I seem to notice the runny stuff when they've been "disturbed" (Dog barks at them or I am restocking food and water...)

 

[PDXChickenChaser]

Unfortunately I don't have an answer for you, but I did want to say that I've been having this same thing happen with my girls (who are 3 and 4 weeks old) as well. Sometimes I almost think they take turns having runny stinky poo, and I'll even see a single chicken make both runny poo and very healthy poo within hours of each other.

My chickens have been like this since the beginning...is this a recent development for yours skatcatla?

The feed store people told me I needed to give them grit...and while they did greedily go after it, it didn't seem to change their pooping habits. I've heard people talk about giving them yogurt, but my chickens are very suspicious of anything but their chick crumbles and didn't even touch the yogurt when I offered it to them =/

Just wanted to let you know you weren't alone

- James

 

[skatcatla]

PDX: yes! That sounds just like my situation..its like they take turns, and they can alternate between runny and firm. I was starting to think that maybe it was something I was doing, like startling them.

Also, just like yours, mine don't seem to be interested in foods other than the grit. I've offered them small bits of fruit but they don't seem to go for it. They will definitely chase flies and ants, and it seems they are nibbling grass a bit but not very much.

I haven't tried the yogurt yet...but yes they do have parakeet gravel and they love that.

Well, I guess I won't worry about it too much..they seem perfectly active and healthy. good to know I am not alone!

 

[hinkjc]

To get the yogurt in their diet, try sprinkling some of their chick starter crumbles on top. Once they grab for those and taste the yummy yogurt, they'll go nuts every time they see the yogurt come in.

Jody