The ubiquitous poop question - Rooster diarrhea

[Janathia]

Hello all, I've googled pictures of poop and I've asked my local chicken friend (that helped me get my first flock), but we're both stumped.

I have a 6 month old cockerel, Jean-Luc, that has had loose poop for a little over a week now. He otherwise seems healthy. He does have a little bit of a messy area around his vent, but nothing that looks like Gleet that I googled. You kinda have to look for the messy feathers. He's been eating, drinking, dancing with the girls, and acting fine. He is part of a young flock (my first) that I got in June of 2016. There are 13 pullets and one other cockerel. The other cockerel has assumed the role of Head Rooster, but he doesn't bother Jean-Luc too much and JL knows to keep his distance from Riker (head rooster).

They all free-range during the day and are kept in their chicken run/coop at night. They are all fed on Purina Layer pellets with a little bit of scratch grains as a treat about every other day. They do get kitchen scraps occasionally (veggies, etc). And they did get the leftover turkey carcass to peck over from Christmas. They have access to fresh water daily in three different locations (one in the run and two outside the coop/run).

I haven't noticed anyone else with loose poop (diarrhea) and everyone else is acting fine as well.

Here is the picture I took of Jean-Luc's poop if it will help. I haven't noticed any worms in the poop I've seen from him (or from anyone for that matter).





Thanks for any help!

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Hello all, I've googled pictures of poop and I've asked my local chicken friend (that helped me get my first flock), but we're both stumped.

I have a 6 month old cockerel, Jean-Luc, that has had loose poop for a little over a week now. He otherwise seems healthy. He does have a little bit of a messy area around his vent, but nothing that looks like Gleet that I googled. You kinda have to look for the messy feathers. He's been eating, drinking, dancing with the girls, and acting fine. He is part of a young flock (my first) that I got in June of 2016. There are 13 pullets and one other cockerel. The other cockerel has assumed the role of Head Rooster, but he doesn't bother Jean-Luc too much and JL knows to keep his distance from Riker (head rooster).

They all free-range during the day and are kept in their chicken run/coop at night. They are all fed on Purina Layer pellets with a little bit of scratch grains as a treat about every other day. They do get kitchen scraps occasionally (veggies, etc). And they did get the leftover turkey carcass to peck over from Christmas. They have access to fresh water daily in three different locations (one in the run and two outside the coop/run).

I haven't noticed anyone else with loose poop (diarrhea) and everyone else is acting fine as well.

Here is the picture I took of Jean-Luc's poop if it will help. I haven't noticed any worms in the poop I've seen from him (or from anyone for that matter).





Thanks for any help!

I like the TNG references...but Number 1 is the captain on your ship?

On the loose poop: how long ago did they get the turkey? Too much protein can cause poop issues...as can worms, as you mentioned.

Have you seen this "poop chart": http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=17568.0? @Wyorp Rock and @casportpony are very knowledgeable about poop - tagging for input.

 

[Janathia]

LOL, yea, Jean-Luc is the bigger cockerel, but Riker has decided he's the Captain.

They got the turkey carcass the evening of the 25th. I would say I noticed the loose poop not too long after that. I can't say for sure though if he had the loose poop before the turkey meat or not to be honest.

His loose poop is consistently like the one in the picture. Pretty much no deviation from it.

I've noticed his crop seems to be very full all the time. I'm not sure if he's constantly eating the feed because he's not getting any nutrition from having the loose poop or if something is going on with his crop. I was going to separate him overnight, without access to food, to see if his crop will go down.

I did check out the poop chart you linked before I posted, but I didn't see anything that looked like JL's.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

LOL, yea, Jean-Luc is the bigger cockerel, but Riker has decided he's the Captain.

They got the turkey carcass the evening of the 25th. I would say I noticed the loose poop not too long after that. I can't say for sure though if he had the loose poop before the turkey meat or not to be honest.

His loose poop is consistently like the one in the picture. Pretty much no deviation from it.

I've noticed his crop seems to be very full all the time. I'm not sure if he's constantly eating the feed because he's not getting any nutrition from having the loose poop or if something is going on with his crop. I was going to separate him overnight, without access to food, to see if his crop will go down.

I did check out the poop chart you linked before I posted, but I didn't see anything that looked like JL's.

Thanks for the reply!

YVW. Now that you mention the crop, there could be a connection if he has something like sour crop going on. Good idea to monitor it - will you update on what you observe?

In the meantime, you could try getting some probiotics into him to help balance his gut flora - ACV in his water or yogurt are commonly used. Hope you see some solid poop soon!

 

[Janathia]

After separating JL last night from the others and away from any food (I use a Grandpa's Feeder in their run), his crop was empty this morning, so hopefully that's a good sign. Now to figure out the poop thing. I plan to get some probiotics this week so hopefully that will help!

Thanks again!