What does black, sludge-like poop mean?

[Vanderfelt]

They wouldn't happen to be eating lots of mulberries would they?

 

[dlhunicorn]

It can mean lots of things and indeed what they are eating often is the reason behind this. Here is my info on poo (you will see that there can be the same outwards signs indicating several different causes > you cannot "diagnose" simply on the outward appearrance unfortunately and this info will provide you the basics you need to understand and possibly intrepret what you are seeing):
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=poos&action=display&num=1158478320

http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=poos&action=display&num=1160154047

Do you have a cherry tree? I do and I have one very ill rooster at the moment... of all my birds he is the only one too lazy to strip the flesh of the cherry pits (which are toxic > cyanide) and swallows them whole ... despite my cleaning up the fallen cherries daily I have seen that I was too late as he gulped down another on. His poos are black and tarry.

 

[threehorses]

I wondered about blackberries and such as it's that time of year. And we have Mullberries here which in some forms are more blue-black.

 

[cityfarmfanatics]

I've got it here too...could it be all the blueberries they've been eating?

 

[Cetawin]

I would doubt that blueberries and blackberries would do it because mine crew eat them constantly and I have not had a black tarry stool yet. Mulberries I am not sure because I do not have any they could access.

Any more signs of this black stool?

 

[cityfarmfanatics]

I've found some around the yard today. We think we know which ones are doing it, so I suppose some yogurt? It's hot here...102-111 degrees...think stress could do it?

 

[3chimama]

My girls poop like that from time to time and they are always fine...

 

[whillo]

THIS is why I love this place! Just found my first black poo today and lo and behold, they were eating the fallen miniature plums and cherries that had fallen from the trees today and yesterday. Silly me for thinking that they wouldn't eat the pit! Okay, not to self... no more cherries or plums unless I pit them. (They totally splash the plums everywhere anyway! My poor little Buttercup the white cochin is spashed with red juice all over. Looks like she was in a war!)

 

[laceychicken]

Interesting poo discussion. Mine are 5 weeks. Someone in the brooder has dark molasses like poo. All in all they seem healthy. I try to keep their pen clean and feed only starter food and plenty of fresh water. I will add probiotics to their water. Have been concerned. But again they certainly do seem healthy.