Wild birds dying—chickens now have green poop

[MixedFlock23]

My chicken run is made of 2x4” wire fencing (5’ tall & covered with bird netting on the top only). I’ve not had an issue with wild birds until recently. We have had snow on the ground since February 7th & the wild birds (white throated sparrows & starlings) have discovered they can fly through the 2x4” holes and into the coop via the pop door. I first noticed them inside the coop on February 15, I believe. I’ve been chasing them out when I see them. Once I saw the bachelor coop filled with starlings!! Dozens of them. They pooped up my cockerels’ water and ate their food. Since then I’ve just left the boys locked in their coop (they hadn’t stepped foot outside since it snowed anyway). Two days ago we found a few dead starlings in the yard. Two in the run and two in the backyard. No signs of injury. Just dead in the snow. Today we found another dead starling. I have bird netting ordered which should arrive today and will cover the entire run to keep wild birds out... but I have discovered a change in some chickens’ poop. I’m seeing a few green poops now and I’m worried. Any ideas on what causes green poop? Could it have been due to the wild birds eating all my chicken feed and me not replacing it until the next morning? (Normally they have free choice feeders, but once I dumped out the last bits of feed one afternoon and took the feeders inside to clean them & didn’t refill them until the next day.) What signs should I be watching for? My birds are all acting normal. (I think only two of them are pooping greenish... based on poop/perch location.) Should I try to figure out who is pooping green and isolate them? Or treat everyone together? What medication or treatment should I give? Thank you.

 

[Folly's place]

Call your DNR, someone there might be interested in checking these birds out for diseases. Call today! Also you could call your state veterinary school poultry expert. I do hope this isn't going to be a problem for your flock, and have no idea what the story actually is.
Mary

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Should I try to figure out who is pooping green and isolate them? Or treat everyone together? What medication or treatment should I give? Thank you.

Wild birds spread lots of disease, not the least of which is.. well, all of them.. Marek's, AI, New castle's, and so on

How old are your birds?

A link to state poultry labs.. I would definitely make contact as suggested by the first poster.. USUALLY necropsy is done on refrigerated not frozen specimens.. so if you find any before they freeze consider preserving.. or um just make the call asap!

State poultry labs

Sorry you face this as I'm sure it's scary! Thank you for paying attention! Could even be a local poisoning taking place. Hope you get answers quickly!

County, state department of agriculture.. should be interested.

 

[MixedFlock23]

Just got off the phone with my local DNR biologist. The biologist was very friendly and helpful. They are not aware of any outbreaks and are not concerned with four dead birds. No other reports of dying birds. The biologist suggested perhaps they died of hunger or stress. With so much snow on the ground, they have no food source. (And have been locked out of my chicken feed as well!)

The bird netting should arrive today & I’ll get right to bird proofing the run.

Hopefully the green poop was related to stress or not eating dinner.

 

[MixedFlock23]

How old are your birds?

My birds range in ages of 6.5 months old to five years old. (The 10 month old pullet and 8 week old chick that we got Feb. 6th are in the shed in quarantine still.)

I’m going to bird proof the entire run today & tomorrow. It is stressful!

 

[MixedFlock23]

Still working on wrapping bird netting over the fencing, but I did finish the back side with privacy screening. This also gives my flock some more shade.
One guard kitty on top of the coop is making sure no starlings come around.

 

[MixedFlock23]

I’ve finished the big run! The bird netting is on the outside of the fencing. It is barely noticeable. (And the starlings didn’t even sit in my trees today. They stayed in my neighbors’ yards!) Tomorrow I finish the bachelors’ run.

No green poops today! It must have been something (scraps) I fed them. Whew!