Tiny red balls in poop

[feather13]

I feed them cooked white quinoa, but the red balls in their poop do look like uncooked red quinoa. They do scratch (and I suspect eat) some of the sand, but I've not seen any red sand grains.

The weird molting pattern may or may not be related, but is it usually for hens to go partially bald on their heads and throats? Thanks again for all your help!

 

[Starburst]

I feed them cooked white quinoa, but the red balls in their poop do look like uncooked red quinoa. They do scratch (and I suspect eat) some of the sand, but I've not seen any red sand grains.

The weird molting pattern may or may not be related, but is it usually for hens to go partially bald on their heads and throats? Thanks again for all your help!

Regarding the feather loss, there are a few culprits:

• Molting. Obviously, the first thing that comes to mind is molting - are they losing feathers anywhere else, by chance? Or just on their heads and throats?
• Bullying. Sometimes, certain chickens in the flock can be plain mean, and they might be picking on a few members in the flock and pulling out feathers. Bullying can also lead to the next possible cause of feather loss:
• Stress. If a chicken is stressed, they may lose their feathers, or even pluck them out themselves! This sounds unlikely, however, as it would be difficult for a chicken to pluck their own feathers from their head.
• Protein deficiency. If a chicken has a protein deficiency, they may not have enough protein to grow back their feathers, and they can also sometimes eat their feathers for protein. Chickens with a protein deficiency also tend to be on the lean side.
• Overzealous rooster. I can't remember if you have a rooster or not - if so, it could be over-zealous in mating. However, overmating is usually accompanied with feather loss on a hen's back.
• Parasites. And then there are parasites. A chicken might lose feathers due to several different kinds of parasites, including lice, mites, and, sometimes, worms.

Of all of these, I think the most likely causes in your flock's case is either molting, parasites, or maybe protein deficiency (because you think some of them might be underweight.) However, I'm not positive, and there could be a completely different reason.
I look forward to seeing some pictures of the poop and the chickens, if/when possible! Thanks!

 

[feather13]

Regarding the feather loss, there are a few culprits:

• Molting. Obviously, the first thing that comes to mind is molting - are they losing feathers anywhere else, by chance? Or just on their heads and throats?
• Bullying. Sometimes, certain chickens in the flock can be plain mean, and they might be picking on a few members in the flock and pulling out feathers. Bullying can also lead to the next possible cause of feather loss:
• Stress. If a chicken is stressed, they may lose their feathers, or even pluck them out themselves! This sounds unlikely, however, as it would be difficult for a chicken to pluck their own feathers from their head.
• Protein deficiency. If a chicken has a protein deficiency, they may not have enough protein to grow back their feathers, and they can also sometimes eat their feathers for protein. Chickens with a protein deficiency also tend to be on the lean side.
• Overzealous rooster. I can't remember if you have a rooster or not - if so, it could be over-zealous in mating. However, overmating is usually accompanied with feather loss on a hen's back.
• Parasites. And then there are parasites. A chicken might lose feathers due to several different kinds of parasites, including lice, mites, and, sometimes, worms.

Of all of these, I think the most likely causes in your flock's case is either molting, parasites, or maybe protein deficiency (because you think some of them might be underweight.) However, I'm not positive, and there could be a completely different reason.
I look forward to seeing some pictures of the poop and the chickens, if/when possible! Thanks!

@Starburst: Thanks so much for your time and all this helpful advice!

Molting: The hens molted in the winter, some worse than others, but the RIR and Sex Links seem to still have bald patches on their heads and throats. They are also the most aggressive birds in the flock (they don't pick on anyone... they're just extremely greedy and need tons of attention lol). I'll take photos and post them in the morning.

Stress: I've been traveling two weeks/month for work and they: I've had to stay in the coop and large run while I'm away. My daughter is a great chicken sitter, but maybe hanging out that much stresses them out. I found some feathers in the egg boxes after the Phoenix started molting, but very few feathers anywhere else. It's not been hot or rainy here, so I can't think of anything that would stress them out. We have no roosters. Sadly, our town doesn't permit them.

Protein deficiency: They eat scrambled eggs with shells at least once per week to help with protein and they get freeze dried black soldier fly larva for treats. Is there something else I could be giving them besides high protein commercial feed? The RIRs and Sex Links are on the leaner side (the hens with the molting issues), but the Phoenixes, Easter Eggers, Buff Minorca, and Crevecoeur seem fine, weight-wise and molting-wise

Parasites: I'll check for mites and lice when I get home tonight. It's been a while since they had worms and I treated them, but maybe these red dots are some other kind of worm.

Thanks again!

 

[Starburst]

@Starburst: Thanks so much for your time and all this helpful advice!

Molting: The hens molted in the winter, some worse than others, but the RIR and Sex Links seem to still have bald patches on their heads and throats. They are also the most aggressive birds in the flock (they don't pick on anyone... they're just extremely greedy and need tons of attention lol). I'll take photos and post them in the morning.

Stress: I've been traveling two weeks/month for work and they: I've had to stay in the coop and large run while I'm away. My daughter is a great chicken sitter, but maybe hanging out that much stresses them out. I found some feathers in the egg boxes after the Phoenix started molting, but very few feathers anywhere else. It's not been hot or rainy here, so I can't think of anything that would stress them out. We have no roosters. Sadly, our town doesn't permit them.

Protein deficiency: They eat scrambled eggs with shells at least once per week to help with protein and they get freeze dried black soldier fly larva for treats. Is there something else I could be giving them besides high protein commercial feed? The RIRs and Sex Links are on the leaner side (the hens with the molting issues), but the Phoenixes, Easter Eggers, Buff Minorca, and Crevecoeur seem fine, weight-wise and molting-wise

Parasites: I'll check for mites and lice when I get home tonight. It's been a while since they had worms and I treated them, but maybe these red dots are some other kind of worm.

Thanks again!

Absolutely! I'm more than happy to help!

Molting: It sounds like they might still be recovering from molting and are working on growing the feathers in - I know that one chicken in my flock, Cupcake, still has a bare bottom! Other factors, like a possible parasite, might be keeping them from getting their feathers back in.

Stress: Sometimes when there is a change in the routine, chickens can get a little stressed out. If I may ask, do you travel quite a bit, or are your work travels less common? When you are at home, are you the one most with your chickens, or is your daughter involved when you're there and away? If they're used to seeing you, they might be surprised when they have a new care-taker...does she have a different routine than you when taking care of the chickens? (e.g. You might not cuddle the chickens that much, but she holds them quite a bit?) Did any of your chickens go broody? That might be why there are feathers in the nesting box.


Protein Deficiency: I took a look at the commercial feed that you mentioned you gave them, and it looks like it has more than enough protein. With the additional amount of protein-rich snacks, I think that it's unlikely that it's protein deficiency - do you measure how much you feed them, and do they eat at a certain time, or is it free-feed, by any chance? This probably doesn't change anything, but I thought that I'd ask.

Parasites: Although not fun, it would make sense if there were parasites, especially if they had to do with the red specks in the poop. Have you determined if the poop is coming from a specific chicken? (I know it can be hard to tell, especially in a flock with more than a few birds!) Have you noticed if the red specks are moving at all, or are they just sitting there? (In all honesty, it's not fun staring at poop, but if it moves at all, that's a good sign it's a parasite.) If you suspect that there are any parasites, make sure to keep yourself safe and clean, and consider doing a thorough cleanup of the coop!

I hope that we can resolve this soon - in all honesty, I've never heard of this before! Keep us updated, and I hope your flock will be alright!

 

[feather13]

Absolutely! I'm more than happy to help!

Molting: It sounds like they might still be recovering from molting and are working on growing the feathers in - I know that one chicken in my flock, Cupcake, still has a bare bottom! Other factors, like a possible parasite, might be keeping them from getting their feathers back in.

Stress: Sometimes when there is a change in the routine, chickens can get a little stressed out. If I may ask, do you travel quite a bit, or are your work travels less common? When you are at home, are you the one most with your chickens, or is your daughter involved when you're there and away? If they're used to seeing you, they might be surprised when they have a new care-taker...does she have a different routine than you when taking care of the chickens? (e.g. You might not cuddle the chickens that much, but she holds them quite a bit?) Did any of your chickens go broody? That might be why there are feathers in the nesting box.


Protein Deficiency: I took a look at the commercial feed that you mentioned you gave them, and it looks like it has more than enough protein. With the additional amount of protein-rich snacks, I think that it's unlikely that it's protein deficiency - do you measure how much you feed them, and do they eat at a certain time, or is it free-feed, by any chance? This probably doesn't change anything, but I thought that I'd ask.

Parasites: Although not fun, it would make sense if there were parasites, especially if they had to do with the red specks in the poop. Have you determined if the poop is coming from a specific chicken? (I know it can be hard to tell, especially in a flock with more than a few birds!) Have you noticed if the red specks are moving at all, or are they just sitting there? (In all honesty, it's not fun staring at poop, but if it moves at all, that's a good sign it's a parasite.) If you suspect that there are any parasites, make sure to keep yourself safe and clean, and consider doing a thorough cleanup of the coop!

I hope that we can resolve this soon - in all honesty, I've never heard of this before! Keep us updated, and I hope your flock will be alright!

Thank you so much! I'm going to attach two photos to this message. In one, you can see the featherless throat of one of the Sex Links (she's quite pretty, I don't know why her eyes look so disturbing here LOL) and in the other you can see the two SL and the RIR hogging up the treat bowl with their balding, shabby looking heads (I lured them with scratch lol to get a clear photo). They are bossy, but I've never seen them peck each other or other hens relentlessly or aggressively. Oddly enough, they are also the bony/underweight birds despite the fact that they're always first in line for food. Your poor Cupcake! It must be rough to still be molting.

Stress: My daughter has been around the chickens since they were chicks, but I'm the sole caretaker and her schedule is pretty erratic. I travel at least one to two weeks per month, but the rest of the time they either free range outside or spend part of the day in the big coop and run until I come home to let them out. The Crevecoeur and Phoenix always go broody when I'm away and it takes a day or two after I'm back for them to stop.

Protein: The hens are free-fed and have access to two waterers 24/7 (so there's never crowding). The others don't look as shabby, so I'm hoping they're all getting plenty of protein

Parasites: This is my first thought of what could be going on and maybe worms are just affecting these three more than the others. I'll go down before dark and see where they're roosting and in which order. When they had worms before, I could see some. But these are more like dots and don't seem to move (although maybe they're a different kind?) Hopefully I can get a clear photo of one, although sorry in advance for sending gross photos LOL. Upon closer inspection, these three also have black spots on their combs, perhaps fowl pox? I don't see spots on any of the other hens.

Thanks again for all your time and help!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Photos of the poop please. Thanks!

Feather loss looks like from picking/plucking. A hen can't pluck feathers from the back of her own head or throat.
Look them over for lice and mites just in case.
Observe who to see who's picking, likely it's during roosting time.

Limit your treats and let them focus on their nutritionally balanced poultry feed.

 

[feather13]

Photos of the poop please. Thanks!

Feather loss looks like from picking/plucking. A hen can't pluck feathers from the back of her own head or throat.
Look them over for lice and mites just in case.
Observe who to see who's picking, likely it's during roosting time.

Limit your treats and let them focus on their nutritionally balanced poultry feed.

Thank you so much! I'll observe them tomorrow night at roosting time and see if these three are near each other and also look them over for lice and mites. I'll also stop giving them treats for a while. Tomorrow morning I'll take photos of the poop because I've only seen the red dots in the morning.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you so much! I'll observe them tomorrow night at roosting time and see if these three are near each other and also look them over for lice and mites. I'll also stop giving them treats for a while. Tomorrow morning I'll take photos of the poop because I've only seen the red dots in the morning.

You'll want to watch the ones that don't have feather loss.
I have one hen that loves to pluck the tiny feathers from the back of 2 of my hen's heads. She is the most pristine hen I have, not a feather out of place. Usually it's your best looking hen(s) doing the plucking. Or at least that's what I have observed within my own flocks.

 

[Prop toe]

There is several strains of coccidiosis.Treated a year and a half ago.My guess they are infected with a strain of coccidiosis.Majority the time warmer weather bring it on.However I seen it in mild weather also.JMHO.cheers

 

[aart]

Photos of the poop please. Thanks!

Ditto Dat!
Without seeing it, all else is mere speculation.

Do you have a poop board under your roosts?
Is it all birds all the time, or just once in awhile?