Watery Feces?

[Kedreeva]

I currently have 3 birds in a brooder together- 2 peachicks and a duckling. The duckling is four weeks old (but has got some other issues that have dwarfed his size, he's barely bigger than the peachicks). The peachicks are about a week and a half younger. Their poo was perfect a few days ago, but for the last two days I have noticed that it's gotten really watery.

They are NOT behaving like they are or feel ill at all. The peachicks are bouncing around the cage and the duckling runs around with them when he's not busy watching them and wondering why they are so insane. They all sleep together. They all eat and drink regularly. Their food is a mix of chick/duck starter, game bird food, and medicated chick starter (and the peachicks have access to another dish of pure medicated starter on their perch). They have softwood bedding (Pine/Spruce/Fir shavings), but they have had it since hatching without problems. They were hatched here by me and have absolutely zero access to areas where any adult bird has ever been- all my adult poultry are kept at the farm, 16 miles away from my home. ONLY eggs come (and have ever come) to the house. Their brooder is being kept between 80 and 92 degrees, depending on the time of day.

The changes I have made which may have caused this:
I had been giving them extra vitamins and electrolytes in their water, but I stopped (funny, 2 days ago) so this may account for it. I am switching them back today to see if it changes anything. I had been feeding them a wet mash a couple times a day, but the peachicks did not consume much of it if they even gave it a sideways glance and I stopped feeding it to them last week sometime. If this was it I feel it would have affected them sooner.

Is there something else which may cause watery feces?

 

[harewizard]

In my opinion, the electrolytes and watered mash may be the culprit of watery feces. Their behaviors haven't changed and they seem to be eating well? How hot is your summer?

I know in the summer here the heat and humidity can be extremley high.

My hens frequently have watery poops as a result of drinking alot. My horse is given electrolytes in the summer and urinates quite a bit more than usual.

Sounds like you are on top of things and you may want to try it again and see the results. I would not worry unless, behavoir or any changes are noticed. Still make sure they have plenty of water to drink!

HTH,

Lisa

 

[Preservation Acres]

Same here. It's very hot here...chickens drinking constantly...watery poop.

Otherwise, they're fine.

 

[Kedreeva]

They're indoors, in a controlled environment- they are all young (under 1 month, the duckling has no real feathers yet, the peachicks are half feathered). The humidity in my room is ~25%, and the temp in their brooder is (as stated), between 80 and 90. Right now it is 86. The duck drinks a lot, but he's always drunk a lot- he's a duck. The peachicks don't think it's hot at all- they spend most of their time under the heat lamp getting warm still.

They had great poo ON the electrolyte/vitamin water, it was when I stopped and gave them plain water (same source) that this started. I don't want to mix up more of the mash if I haven't got to, so I've changed the water back to see if that helps.

Just want to ask to make sure there's not something I am ignorant of that could be a factor.