29/05/2022
UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHICKEN P**P
It can be alarming if your chickens p**p out a blob that looks a tad bit unfamiliar, or different than what you are used to seeing. But, the truth is, chicken’s p**p will differ depending on what they eat, where the f***s is coming from, and yes often it depends on their health.
◼How chickens feed
Your chicks peck at their food and it travels to the crop, a storage-like stop on the digestive tract, where enzymes help begin the digestive process by breaking down the food.
The food then moves to the gizzard, and this is where that grit comes in handy. This organ grinds up the food along with the stones the chickens have eaten.
Once the gizzard has done its job, the food moves through the small intestines where nutrition is absorbed.
Unlike humans, and many other critters, chickens have an extra organ that branches off the small intestines, and this is called the "CECA". The purpose of the ceca is to catch additional nutrition by fermenting the food further. Food hangs out in the ceca for a while and is expelled a few times a day (which is why your chicken’s p**p look different throughout the day.) More on that soon.
Lastly, the cloaca takes the “leftovers” and combines them with urates producing the white part of the droppings. From there, the p**p leaves the chicken through the vent.
WHAT MY CHICKEN P**P MEANS?
So, now that we understand how the chicken’s digestive system operates, let’s take a closer look at the actual poo, and what variations of it might mean for the health of your chicken.
The following variations are the most common dollops of poo you will see around the yard, some normal, some possibly indicating health concerns:
◼Regular or Normal Chicken P**p
Regular chicken p**p has many different faces and depending on the temperature outdoors, and what this chicken has eaten, f***s appearance can vary greatly.
With that being said, most healthy chicken p**p is brownish, greenish, and has the cap of urates we mentioned earlier.
◼Green Chicken P**p
If your chickens have been exposed to greens like vegetables or grasses, then a green chicken p**p might just be based on diet. If you are sure that nothing that the chickens have eaten should cause the green p**p, then you might want to consider some possible diseases.
◼Cecal P**p
Remember how I mentioned that the ceca expel its contents a few times a day? Well, if you notice “pudding-like” p**p without the white urate cap, you are most likely looking at cecal p**p.
Don’t worry if this type of dropping is super-duper smelly—it’s entirely normal for it to have an extra punch of stank.
◼Broody Hen P**p
A broody p**p, while completely normal, is a very obscene one. As broody hens don’t like to leave their nest too often, instead of doing their business regularly, they will retain their droppings throughout the day, which will result in a very large, green or brown and unpleasant looking and smelling p**p.
Abnormal Chicken P**p Variations
Keep in mind that healthy p**p can be runny, and have different colorations depending on your chicken’s diet, but the following probably indicate an underlying problem:
◼Wormy Chicken P**P
If you see worms in your chickens’ dropping, or even in their eggs or shells, it’s pretty clear that you have a parasitic infection. If you suspect that your chicken has worms, you can try deworming them with a variety of different methods, but to successfully remove all worms from your chicken’s digestive system, you should try your best to identify the type of worm.
If you aren’t sure what kind of worms your chickens have, take the droppings to your vet, and they should be able to quickly identify which brand of parasite you are dealing with and how to treat it.
Remember, if one chicken has worms, they probably all have them and should be treated accordingly.
◼Foamy Chicken P**p
Another indication of a problem with your chicken’s digestive system might be foamy stool. Now, every once in a while, we all have some digestive upset. So, if you see frothy p**p from your favorite hen, don’t panic; she may have eaten a lot of protein that day, and her body is processing the extra intake differently
If, however, she continues to have foamy, yellow, p**p, she could have worms or a bacterial infection in her digestive tract. Keep a close eye on her to make sure this passes and isn’t more than just a proteins rich meal.
◼BLOOD IN CHICKEN P**P
Chicken droppings with blood in them may indicate that your hen has COCCIDIOSIS, which is an inflammation of the intestinal lining due to a bacterial infection. Coccidiosis can be treated if caught early. use Embazim fort to treat coccidiosis
Bloody chicken p**p can also indicate the presence of worms within the digestive system. So, even if you cannot see the worms, they may be hanging out inside of your hen.
◼Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea generally has a runny and greasy consistency and often yellow or mustard in colouring, and can be the result of the occasional hiccup in their diet, where your chicken has feasted on something their stomach just doesn’t agree with. However, if it is a regular occurrence, it should be inspected, as it can be a sign of internal parasites such as worms.
◼Watery Chicken Droppings
Runny chicken p**p can occur in scorching temperatures. It can appear thin and watery. However, if your chicken is explosively defecating, and it isn’t that hot out, she may have eaten something she shouldn’t have, or she could have worms or an infection.
In any of these situations, you should separate your hen from the rest of the flock to prevent the spread of infections she might be carrying and to keep an eye on her health.
Consult a vet if you are unsure of what has caused the issue, and treat your entire flock as instructed.
