Runny bum

[Noodle]

My 'top' hen, Gertrude has been doing very runny poos, they are more like splats and her feathers at the back are quite dirty. She seems absolutely fine and is eating and bullying the others as much as ever.

I'm going to give the house a scrub and the logs the perch over and pick up as much as I can from the floor to try and make it as clean as possible. Should I worm them now, or could this make her worse? (only experience I have of worming is with the dog, and it gives him a dicky tummy for a few days).

Should I put garlic in the water and give them some poultry spice? Don't want her to get any worse! Could it be a problematic egg? So new to this, not sure what to do.

[di]

Hi Noodle,I'm also fairly new to the joys of chook keeping so please take my advice with a pinch of salt!!Has she been like it for long?One of ours was like this a couple of weeks ago~we're not sure if it was worms or something she ate?Too many slugs/lettuce can give them the runs & if she's the top Chook then maybe she's been getting more than her fair share of such?We wormed ours whilst she was poorly & it'didn't seem to make her any worse.The stuff we used is at the lottie so I'm afraid I can't give you the name but it's a natural one that we got from the internet.Apparently the one you buy from the vets requires you to not eat their eggs for a while after administering.
Hope she soon picks up & that maybe a more knowledgable someone will be along with more answers soon!

[Noodle]

She's been like this for a couple of days, we do have (or had) a lot slugs in the garden, so it could be that. I got some Flubenvet from the internet, so will give that a go and maybe get some poultry spice to see if it helps. She seems fine, her normal bossy self, so not too worried at the moment, but obviously don't want it to go on for too long.
Might cut down on the greenery for a few days as well and see if that helps, thanks!

[Flummery]

You can eat the eggs when using Flubenvet - you need to use it for a week. I'd do them all. The usual advice is to use it every 6 months. No experience of this myself but I've been reading widely with a view to getting some Great Escapers in Spring. I understand that some people swear by Verm X - the herbal one,- but others reckon it's not as effective as the Flubenvet. I think cutting out the green stuff will help too. Hope she goes on ok. Good luck.

[Noodle]

Thank you! I'll worm the whole lot as not sure when they were last done. They've been having lots of apples, so that will stop for a while!

[Nige69]

I've been using Flubenvet for the past 3 years every 6 months (in fact they are due now!) with no problems - as already mentioned get them wormed and just stick to layers pellets with a splash of spice in it. I always put a splash of tonic in with their water too. Hope this helps.

ps Flubenvet does not affect the eggs - only if you were to cull and eat the bird do you have to wait a week, i think from memory. It tells you on the container.

All the best ;-)

[MaureenHall]

Like all the others have said, probably too much of the "goodies" . Lettuce does give them the runs, and too many slugs also makes their poo a bit strange. Worm them all, and a pinch of spice in their food won't do any harm. If you do want to still give them treats, cooked potatoes go down a treat

[Noodle]

I'll try that. I put de-lousing powder on them las night and she seemed to be a bit skinny and her feathers were dirty as if she hadn't got all of the dirt out from the dust bath. She went out in the garden with the others and had a good scratch about though and seems to be eating plenty.

However, this morning I had a bit of extra time, so went down and fed them as usual, all out in the run pecking about. I went back out with my brekkie and opened the run door, 2 hens come charging out and promptly see off the blackbirds on the lawn, number 3 nowhere in sight. I looked in the house and she was in the nesting box, just sitting there. Very odd as she's normally pushing past me to get into the garden even if I don't want her to!

No sign of an egg when I left and not one yesterday either. Hope it's not a soft shelled one that's causing her problems. (the other 2 are not yet laying so can be acurate about whether it's her or not!) Hope wahtever it is clears up soon, will start on the Flubenvet tonight, go very confused by how much I'm meant to give them as on the packet it's done by food weight. I bought a 5kg bag 3 weeks ago and they're only half way down it! WIll need to do a bit more investigating.

[T-lady]

Hi folks

From a total newbee (as in chickens arrive tomorrow!) - what is this spice you're all talking about? and what is garlic in the water for?

[Noodle]

Hi,
You can buy poultry spice which is a general pick me up, so if they're off colour or are moulting and some peole give it to them in winter. The garlic in the water is supposed to help stop them getting lice and mites. Some people say it helps with the smell of their poos too! Haven't noticed a difference I have to say!

Welcome to the forum, you're in theright place to have any questions answered!

Mine seems fine now! Laid an egg yesterday and has been ok since, maybe just had a bit of a problem passing it? It looked totally fine though, not soft shelled or anything.

Noodle

[T-lady]

Thanks for this Noodle. Glad your chook is happier today.

I've just talked to the chap who's supplying us with the chickens and they're not available until Sunday. Another whole day to wait - it's agony!