# Is this hens poop normal?



## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

The hen who's poops these are doesn't seem to eat by her self. When ever I check her crop at night it's empty sometimes there's a small amount of water but I don't know why she doesn't eat by her self.
Is her poop normal?:


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

No, she's drinking a lot but not eating enough either.

Which probably what you already suspect. She's not feeling well but the question is why?


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

A couple weeks ago I had a hen who had the same exact poo. She died a few weeks ago and I have no idea.
What should I do?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Observation, elimination, and tons of information is needed.

How old, what breed, laying normally, hatchery birds?

How old is the feed, where is it kept? Can the weather affect it or can wild life get in it? How often is the feeder emptied?

What do you see when just standing back and watching the birds?


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

She's 4 years old. A buff Orpington. She seems to never lay eggs unlike the others who lay constantly. No they're not hatchery birds, I got them from a small farm store- locally owned.
The feeds about a week old. It's kept in my shed usually but they eat out of their feeder in the coop. Weather can't really affect it but it does get humid here.
I don't think any wildlife can get into their food, it's under their enclosed cool with one door for them- a laying box door and a door into their roosting area. The feeders emptied every time they finish what's in it which takes about 3-4 days maybe more maybe less.
When I stand back and watch them I see them very active and pecking the ground, eating grass dust bathing and preening.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It's possible that she's having laying problems. If she is, there isn't a lot you can do for her. Was the other bird about the same age?

Unless the local folks have someone selling them chicks or them hatching their own, chances are the birds did come from a hatchery.


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

The other one was not the same age. The one who died was 2 years old. Red the one who has those weird poops I posted a picture of is 4 years old... She hasn't layer for a really long time...6months To a year.
What kind of laying problem could it be?

I'm also on backyardchickens.com and I asked the same question there, they said it could be worms and that I should worm my whole flock... What do you think?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If you want an absolute answer, collect as many clean droppings as you can find, especially from the one girl. You don't have to put them in separate containers, ask your vet to do a fecal float. That way you're not unnecessarily treating them if they don't need it.

Internal laying can be a problem for a many birds but it seems to be more of an issue for hatchery birds. It's only a guess though, not being there to witness what it is it can only be a guess.


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

I will try the fecal Float test with the avian vet near by. Do you know how much it costs? 
What is internal laying...I've never heard of it.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The price varies from place to place. I imagine having an avian vet do the test is more expensive. My large animal vet charged like five bucks for the test. 

Internal laying is when the ovum ends up in the abdominal cavity instead of moving through the reproductive tract. But there are other signs that should be present. Like standing like a penguin, being depressed and fluffed up. Problem is, these don't always show up but I would think that having had two fade away and die one of them should be showing something.


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

Only one died. She had the same poop, I brought her to the vet and the vet said she was depressed and dehidrated. I felt smithing strange in her crop which didn't ever go away unlike my hen who may have worms or somthing.
Could somthing be going around in my flock since she has the same exact poop as the one who died?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I don't think so. Too much time separates the two. 

It is possible to have an impacted crop but generally they are large and hard and don't go down over night.


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

Yes, I don't think it was an impacted crop. It was only about as big as a golf ball actually. smaller and it felt like it was getting bigger...? The vet said he felt nothing but I felt something that wasn't suppose to be there. When frenchie- the one who died name, died she had some kind of weird seizure-fit thing. I have no idea what happend to that hen.

Anyways the one with the weird poop is doing okay. I checked her crop last night and it was only a little full since I fed her a egg and she ate a little and drank some water. I think I'm going to start my whole flock on safe guard 1/2 cc per hen with a siringe for 5 days. Does this sound good?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I cheated, I mixed it in some Kaytee for cage birds. That way the birds willingly ate it. No muss, no fuss except for the others trying to steal the bird's dose.


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

That's a good idea.
I think my hen is okay, she is eating and pooping more normally and still acting like a healthy happy hen... I'm so glad she is okay. Thanks for all of your help!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Glad to hear she's feeling better.


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## chickenhen (Apr 22, 2015)

Thank you


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