Chicken Poop....

 Warning!!  Picture of poop (Lots of it) !!

 It really is an important topic and this blog is mostly about learning the hard way about having backyard chickens!

A friend asked about the difference between a healthy chicken's poop and a sick chicken's poop.

She was concerned because her hens made funny shaped poopies.

I referred her to the page below. 

I know it must seem gross to some, but you should always check their droppings. Sometimes this is the only way you will be able to tell if they are sick and/or have worms (which can kill your hens).

Making sure your girls are healthy is your responsibility. If you are squeamish about poo, I would suggest you find another hobby to enjoy. They do poop a lot - all day and all night.

Taking care of chickens or any other animal IS a lot of work. They must have a clean place to live and sleep, good food, clean water and be free from danger. Some people think that all they have to do is throw 'em some feed in the morning and leave a dish of water for them to drink out of. When their chickens get sick and die, they'll wonder why.

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The Poultry Help Forum
Chickens, Ducks and other Poultry - Advice & Help

Normal

 

Picture taken by Catsmuvva

These last three pictures have shed intestinal lining in them - quite normal, not a cause for concern.


Coral coloured Urates



These are frequently deposited overnight and are quite normal

Oily and Foamy



The range of "Normal" is huge  :shock:

Ceacal

 

These are produced from the caecum of the chicken and are mustard to dark brown froth. They are expelled every 8 to 10 droppings.

Fly Maggots


(picture curtesy of Vember)

Flies will lay their eggs on moist chicken poo and in warm weather they will very quickly hatch into small maggots.

Watery



Watery droppings can be produced by hens which are too hot.  It can be a way for them to cool down by drinking a lot and losing some of their heat in frequent wet droppings.  It can also be a sign that the hens are not eating enough too.

Abnormal poos



Coccidiosis produces blood in faeces.



The hen who produced this specimen was an older bird who became very thirsty.
She is producing a large amount of watery urates the cause of which is unknown, but could possibly be a kidney problem.



The hen who produced this specimen was about 25 weeks old. She went off her food and ate so little she became underweight. She held her tail down and was tired. She may have had worms and/or egg peritonitis.


Worms


picture taken by smiler43                                                      picture taken by Lindeggs


Broody Poo


Thanks to ANHBUC for this picture

Broody's poos are huge and very smelly !


Sulphur yellow, foamy dropping can be a sign of Blackhead (Histamonosis) which is caused by a protozoan parasite infecting the gut.  It is however rare in back yard hens !
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Since you have to clean up anyway, just take a minute and check to make sure your hens are not having problems, especially in  areas where it is damp all the time. Throw down some sand on those wet spots - especially if it's been raining for a few days. And if you really can't stand the smell, just put a little dab of Vick's under your nose. To me, they are worth it!