Senior hen ~ very messy bottom

[coach723]

Glad you figured it out! Just curious, what drops were you using, and why?

 

[pcakes]

Crazy, right?? I was using Backyard Chickens OXY E-100, from spring to fall.

I thought it was standard practice honestly. When I first started noticing digestive issues, the first thing the helpful folks at our local grain stores would ask was if I was using water sanitizer and healthy flock tabs or probiotics.

I change their water daily but, especially when it’s hot, it can still get a little slimy. I thought maybe pathogens in the water were causing messy bottoms.

 

[coach723]

Interesting. I've never used anything, and I have well water, so was curious why. Never had anyone recommend that to me either. I figure since they will drink out of the nastiest puddle they can find, and my well water is clean enough for us, then it's got to be clean enough for them too. I just change water every day and scrub them as needed, which tends to be almost daily in the summer since algae grows rapidly then. I rinse with vinegar to sanitize, but don't add vinegar to the water. I do give probiotics sometimes, or electrolites if needed, but that's it and those are only if needed.

 

[pcakes]

We live in a rural area with a lot of locally grown food products and small working farms. I get the feeling lots/most people prefer to change the water less often, so water purifiers might be more popular.
And when we had 13 hens, their big jug of water was a PITA to change/sanitize, so the water sanitizers seemed like a no-brainer. But you’re right, with clean well water… why would they need it?
So now they’re like my cats ~ fresh water, clean bowl, daily.
Lola is one of those hens who always had a messy bottom. I thought it was just her biology since nothing seemed to help her. The farm where they started life used water tabs as well ~ poor thing has been dealing with it forever!