YELLOW URATES - Cause for concern? *edit* Undigested food, lethargic.

[shandiane78]

One or more of my hens (I suspect just one) is have poops that look normal, except they are tinged yellow throughout, and the part that's normally white is yellow! I haven't seen this before, so it caught my eye, and I'm wondering if it's an indication of something wrong (like liver disease?).

Thanks in advance!
Shannon

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
It's not ideal.... but is she otherwise healthy?

I'd check her carefully just in case - see if she feels overweight to you for example. Or check them all if you're not sure from whom the dropping is coming.

Have all your birds been wormed within the last year or so, etc?

 

[shandiane78]

Thank you, threehorses. None of them are acting sick that I can tell. I do have one that's unusually large, I think, but I don't know if she's overweight. When she started laying she laid 8 eggs in 8 days, now nothing for the past 3 days. I understand this can be normal though, right? If one were sick, I would suspect her, because she seems to rest more than the others. Maybe a little sluggish.

I've only had them for about a month, and I haven't wormed them. I don't know if they've ever been wormed. I do check their poo regularly, and they get ACV in their water. I know you can't tell just by inspecting the poo though, since they don't shed worms unless heavily infested...

 

[threehorses]

She might be the one. Heavier weights can cease egg production, and can cause fatty liver (which, by the way, can kill a bird over time). I'd see if you can catch her up and check her out.

And of course make sure that she's getting layer feed and oyster shell given free choice. I'd not think after 8 days she'd skip three whole days.

 

[shandiane78]

Thanks Natalie. Observing her behavior today, I definitely think she's not quite right. She's lying around a lot, and doesn't come when I bring out treats (she is normally the first to run over). She doesn't seem to be eating much.

Now, my mind may be playing tricks on me, but I looked at her legs and feet (normally gray) and I swear they also had a yellow tint to them. If her liver is having trouble, what can I do for her? Do you think it could be a result of too much protein or other nutrients? Because some of my pullets are younger, I've been giving them Nutrena starter/grower with oyster shell on the side. Maybe this feed is too nutrient dense for her? She normally does eat a ton...

My normal treat for them is sunflower seeds. But they also frequently get bread and/or cereal scraps mixed up with plain lowfat yogurt, and sometimes a scrambled egg or two mixed in. They also get some fruit (peaches, tomatoes and apples lately). Do you think this is too rich for them? Or maybe just for her because she's such a hearty eater?

Maybe I will try stopping the treats and just giving feed + oyster shell. I could switch to layer feed (I have plenty) but some of my pullets are probably 3-4 mos old and not laying yet...

Is there anything specific I could do to help her out? I recently added AVC to their water. Maybe it's actually causing her to absorb TOO MANY nutrients and her liver can't handle it. Possible? Just to add to the variables...This is their first week being off antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection. Symptoms are not coming back, and everyone seems to be doing well but her. She never had symptoms anyway, but I treated them all just in case.

 

[shandiane78]

Also, if I do catch her, what should I look for? I had her in my lap a couple days ago because she had some poo dried on the feathers under her vent. I think this happened because of the antibiotics. I kept an eye on it for a few days thinking it might fall off on its own, or she would clean it, but it was pretty well stuck so I gave her underside a warm bath. She's the only one who got poopy feathers, but since the bath, no more problems in that area.

*edit* I just weighed her, and she weighs 5.5 lb. Maybe she just looks large to me because most of my others are small or young. She's a Black Sex Link, and about 6 1/2 mos old.

 

[obe10]

here is a poo chart you can compare you poo to the poo on there ---> http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

 

[shandiane78]

Thanks obe10. I have consulted the poo chart, and not seen anything like what I found in our yard - Normal looking poop, with yellow urates.

On the up side, I looked around the yard again today, and did not see more of these. I'll be keeping an eye on her (and her poo) for sure. I hope it's nothing serious...

 

[shandiane78]

Now I'm quite worried...I think the reason I'm not seeing as much yellow poo is because she's not pooping (or eating) much. I saw her poop today. It was wet and foamy. The poo part was brown and small, and the urates were bright yellow. Not good. I also saw a yellow poop in the coop from overnight which had undigested grass and sunflower seeds in it! She's still acting kind of lethargic, and still no eggs. 4th day of no eggs, after laying for 8 days straight....Doesn't seem right.

Any help?! I don't know what to do for her, or what to check for even!

 

[shandiane78]

Another detail about this hen...She has always looked fuller in the bottom than the other hens, and she waddles around. I always thought it was because she was laying, but I just had another hen start laying today, and she does not have this swollen appearance. Do you think the sick hen could be laying internally, or possibly has something like Ascites??