Strange droppings should I be concerned?

[LydiaT]

I noticed that some of my chickens droppings look like this and I am not sure what this means. Could it be worms? I have treated them for worms in the past but maybe I should treat them again. Any help would be very much appreciated

 

[Morrigan]

They look a bit like tapeworm segments, but not exactly. They could just be seeds or bits of something fibrous the chicken ate.

Are the white bits moving? As in trying to wiggle off the poop? You may need to watch it closely for several seconds to know.

 

[LydiaT]

They didn’t really look like seeds but they were also not moving around. My chickens are quite thin so I suspected that worms were the issue so I gave them levamisole but nothing seemed to change

 

[Morrigan]

Is taking a sample to your vet for analysis a possibility?

Also, do your chickens free range? What do they normally eat?

 

[Aunt Angus]

That's weird looking all right...

I found that the PDZ in the coop sticks to the poop in the coop (ha! that rhymes!) and looks kinda sorta like this.

Honestly, I would try to get it tested as @Morrigan suggests. If it is worms, you will know which ones you'd need to treat for and be able to choose the right wormer. Those tests usually aren't too pricey, and you get results pretty quickly.

 

[dawg53]

If they were tapeworm segments you would see them moving around, but you stated they wernt moving. They kind of look like tiny bits of gravel or possibly calcium deposits.
Use a blunt metal object to try and crush a few of them. You'll find out real quick if they're solid or not. If they are not solid, get praziquantel to treat for tapeworms. Levamisole wont treat tapeworms. Also, try to find the bird that excreted this particular droppings and treat her only. There's no need to treat all your birds for tapeworms unless you see tapeworm segments in their feces, not all birds will have tapeworms unlike roundworms.

 

[LydiaT]

Is taking a sample to your vet for analysis a possibility?

Also, do your chickens free range? What do they normally eat?

unfortunately I cannot afford to see a vet. The chickens do free range and they eat chook feed and scraps. They are quite fussy with their chook feed though. When I top up the feed they eat like they have never eaten before but even then they only seem to eat the sunflower seeds and corn from the chook feed. They go even crazier for scraps for t he most part but even then they can be fussy

 

[LydiaT]

That's weird looking all right...

I found that the PDZ in the coop sticks to the poop in the coop (ha! that rhymes!) and looks kinda sorta like this.

Honestly, I would try to get it tested as @Morrigan suggests. If it is worms, you will know which ones you'd need to treat for and be able to choose the right wormer. Those tests usually aren't too pricey, and you get results pretty quickly.

well if they tests are not too pricey I might look into it. Also, what is PDZ? (Nice rhyming by the way haha)

 

[coach723]

If you are feeding a whole grain type feed, then they can pick and choose. If you switch to a crumble or pellet type feed, that will stop the picking and choosing of only their favorite bits. For some birds, being able to pick and choose can cause nutritional deficiencies, or abdominal fat, particularly when they choose the fattiest parts, ie; corn which is mostly carbs.

 

[LydiaT]

If they were tapeworm segments you would see them moving around, but you stated they wernt moving. They kind of look like tiny bits of gravel or possibly calcium deposits.
Use a blunt metal object to try and crush a few of them. You'll find out real quick if they're solid or not. If they are not solid, get praziquantel to treat for tapeworms. Levamisole wont treat tapeworms. Also, try to find the bird that excreted this particular droppings and treat her only. There's no need to treat all your birds for tapeworms unless you see tapeworm segments in their feces, not all birds will have tapeworms unlike roundworms.

Okay well I know that they are not solid because I prodded the feces with a stick. I have seen things moving in the droppings a while back which is why I treated the chooks with levamisole before. I do know which chicken who has those droppings (her name is Marge) and also, if they are tapeworms, can they be transmitted to humans?