I have a flock of 6 hens, 2 barred rocks, 2 buff orpingtons, and 2 easter eggers, all of which are 6 months old. Only one of them has started to lay (one of the barred rocks). They all get an organic layer feed that I get from a local feed mill. I soak it in whey that I have left over from making greek yogurt and give them some of that everyday, but they also have constant access to a feeder full of dry feed. I also regularly give them dried meal worms as a treat and leafy green vegetable scraps. Recently they have also been given pumpkins to eat which they destroy. I have them in a large chicken coop with pine shavings for bedding (I am doing the deep litter method) and there is a covered run they go out in during the day. They also have free access to layer grit and oyster shells.
One of the buffs has had a messy diarrhea bum for a couple weeks now. The poo looks to be normally colored (green and brown with some white) based on the wonderful pictures Ive been looking at, but it is obviously runny and sticking to her butt fluffs. Last weekend I brought her inside and did the day spa routine and got her all clean but she just pooped herself back up right after that. She doesnt show any signs of lethargy or sickness. Shes out in the run with all the other ladies doing chicken stuff, and she gets just as excited as everybody else for treats. She has had a small amount of blood in the stool at one point but it looked like the pictures Ive seen on here of intestinal lining and I wasnt too worried about it. I thought maybe she was just a messy pooper. However, yesterday when I came out to feed them before going to work (while it was still dark out) I found that she was still out in the run and not in the coop with the rest of the ladies (I have an automatic solar powered door). When I came home from work I went out and checked on her and she seemed normal and fine but when I went out tonight to check if she went in the coop I found that she was still out in the run again so i picked her up and put her in the coop but she wasnt going up to roost with the rest of the ladies.
Should I be worried about this? Should I be treating her with something? Are the other ladies just not happy about roosting with Mrs poopypants? I live in wisconsin so this staying out in the run at night business is not going to be funny here shortly. None of the other ladies are having any problems.
Thanks for your help
One of the buffs has had a messy diarrhea bum for a couple weeks now. The poo looks to be normally colored (green and brown with some white) based on the wonderful pictures Ive been looking at, but it is obviously runny and sticking to her butt fluffs. Last weekend I brought her inside and did the day spa routine and got her all clean but she just pooped herself back up right after that. She doesnt show any signs of lethargy or sickness. Shes out in the run with all the other ladies doing chicken stuff, and she gets just as excited as everybody else for treats. She has had a small amount of blood in the stool at one point but it looked like the pictures Ive seen on here of intestinal lining and I wasnt too worried about it. I thought maybe she was just a messy pooper. However, yesterday when I came out to feed them before going to work (while it was still dark out) I found that she was still out in the run and not in the coop with the rest of the ladies (I have an automatic solar powered door). When I came home from work I went out and checked on her and she seemed normal and fine but when I went out tonight to check if she went in the coop I found that she was still out in the run again so i picked her up and put her in the coop but she wasnt going up to roost with the rest of the ladies.
Should I be worried about this? Should I be treating her with something? Are the other ladies just not happy about roosting with Mrs poopypants? I live in wisconsin so this staying out in the run at night business is not going to be funny here shortly. None of the other ladies are having any problems.
Thanks for your help