why do they call it a vent?

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Lisa202

Lisa202

Songster
9 Years
Aug 20, 2010
718
14
133
Long Island NY
Hi Everyone!

I have been reading about "pasting up" and see that they say that you have to check their "vents" for dried up poop. Is the "vent" the same thing as a poop hole? Why do they call it a vent? Might I really have to use a toothpick to clear it or is there a better way to get off really hard dried poop?

Thanks!!!
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try washing the died poop first to soften it then gently message it with a towel till it comes off. yes the poop hole is the vent, why... i really don't know
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Hello! Their poop, urine and eggs all come out of the same opening. I'm not certain as to why it's called a vent, but I'm assuming because it's a multi-purpose orifice. You can try cleaning their little fuzzy butts with lukewarm water and a soft cloth/sponge/paper towel. I think many people lube the fuzz around the vent with olive oil to help prevent poop from adhering. You can carefully snip some of the fuzz off, too.
 
Warm water sounds the least painful way of cleaning up.
I snip away dirty feathers as well.
Do be careful if you use scissors on them if you faint at the sight of blood!
 
The real name for the opening is cloaca.

The term vent is probably used because cloaca is not at all an obvious word (it's latin for drain pipe I think) and 'venting' meaning to push or allow something out requires a vent to push/allow something out of and everyone knows that.

I think it's just one of those words that is more pleasant and more descriptive than the proper term. Rather like 'poop' instead of feaces/feces/faeces although 'droppings' would be the more correct term for birds 'waste' as it includes the urates as well.
 
Yes, proper term cloaca and it is the final common passage way for poo, egg/semen.

Chickens like all birds do not pass urine (soluble urate needs water and hence urine passed by animals). Solid, usually whitish uric acid is passed by birds and reptiles, is insoluble and is passed with the poo (faeces, stools....etc).

Vent is the non-scientific term for cloaca.

sandie
 
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It shouldn't be black or red.
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Depending on what you feed them, it can change color. Mine is a brownish/greenish most of the time. Once I fed some purple cabbage to chicks and forgot about it...a few hours later when they were pooping bright purple my husband saw it and started freaking out and came to get me!
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It took me a while to connect the cabbage to the weird color.
 
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Hi Everyone!

I have been reading about "pasting up" and see that they say that you have to check their "vents" for dried up poop. Is the "vent" the same thing as a poop hole? Why do they call it a vent? Might I really have to use a toothpick to clear it or is there a better way to get off really hard dried poop?

Thanks!!!
hmm.png


I wouldn't use a toothpick on a pasted up bottom - fuzzy butts are tender and susceptible to damage. Better to moisten the vent with warm water and try to patiently loosen with a soft, warm, dampened cloth (or paper towel). When clean you could, as someone mentioned, very carefully trim away some of the fuzz around the vent and apply a little oil - I use olive or coconut oil - to help prevent more pasting. I also added a small amount of organic cider vinegar to their drinking water (still do), and offered small amounts of organic, live culture, plain yogurt daily. Cleared up within a few days. Good luck!​
 
Thanks everyone for the great advice!
frow.gif
I've been reading so much about chickens that my head is spinning.

Thanks for the heads up on the cabbage poo. I, too, would have freaked out until I hopefully remembered the purple cabbage. I guess the same would go for beets?
 

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