[chooknewbie]

Hi there,
I am totally new to keeping chooks so all advice is gratefully received. One of my chooks has the runs, and as yet I have no idea what is causing it...they have been vaccinated before i bought them, (got them through a lovely farmer friend of mine) and i have had them about 3 weeks now. I think one has stopped laying (egg numbers would suggest) and there is runny pooh dotted about their "barn" and run... HELP.... really hate the thought of one of my ladies being in any sort of discomfort  
Tori

[Viv]

Welcome to the forum, I am unable to help with your question, but I know that the others will definately be able to help.

[Aunt Sally]

You need to see if you can find out which he it is and isolate her from the others just incase it is an infection.  Clean the run area that she may have fouled.  You'll then be able to examine the hen and see what symptoms she has.

[chooknewbie]

I dont have anywhere set up as yet, just have the one very large enclosure... I do have a large dog crate that we dont use but dont want to confine too much....would that be ok do you think? then swap them in and out until i get the right chook...only 4 of them so it shouldnt take too long...

[Aunt Sally]

That would be a good idea.  Start by selecting any hen who looks a bit fluffed up. perhaps with her tail down a bit.  You should be able to locate her very quickly .

(I've split this off into a topic of it's own for you chooknewbie)

[chooknewbie]

That would be why i had a nightmare finding it til i opened my mail!...LOL... silly me.. thought i had gone slightly mad.... Right, I shall set to and do that when I get down there....my farmer friend has recommended trying worming to see if that helps... in your opinion whats the easiest way....through food or water?...have had a look and there seems to be a few different options...want the most effective/accurate dosing... totally new and will do anything to make sure animals stay safe and well...  :?

[Aunt Sally]

Have you looked through the Worms article in the poultry information forum ?

In my opinion flubenvet is the best and there is full instructions on dasage and administration in that worm topic.

[chooknewbie]

been down and spent some time this aftie, and to be totally honest they all look great...all bright eyed and bushy tailed...for want of a better expression....all tails are up, and seem to be clean... cleaned up the run and barn and saw no sign of any worms....was a few "foamy" brown spots which if were round i guess would be no more than a 10p piece...very small amounts... there was one that was def a poo as was runny underneith and then a proper pellet on top....so unless was something they found that disagreed with them, and it is finally working through system i dont know...... managed to isolate two in the time i was down there...both had nomal poop...aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh my head is spinning...just dont know what to do for best!   :?

[Aunt Sally]

   

I think they must just have been teasing you  :roll:

[chooknewbie]

little tinkers...i just dread going down there and there being something wrong.... took them some sand down yesterday....supposedly for them to have a dust bath in...little so and so's set about eatin it!!!... god alone knows what i am gonna go down and find today! :shock:        
probably a sandcastle of poop!

[Wildeone]

it'll dry up the runs anyway!    Pooing concrete!

[chooknewbie]

thats what i am hoping...

[mtoyne]

Hiya, im quite new to chickens,had ours for 3 months. Have heard that if they eat too many worms and slugs they get quite runny poo for a few days.

[Lucy Danning]

Hello
I've got 4 new hens too and I think one of them has runny, (light brown) poo too (judging by the amount of normal poo as well). They all look healthy so I thought it may be because they are getting used to new feed & being outside. I got them a week ago & they lived in a nice warm shed up 'til then so grass etc is all new. Could this be the case??!

[Aunt Sally]

It could be, but it also may not be

Chickens also pass faeces from the caecum which are different to those which just go straight through the digestive tract.  Caecal poos are softer, slightly runny, shiny sometimes bubbly and VERY smelly.  Each chook will pass one or two of these each day.