Diarrhea for about year

[K-Hill]

I've had 10 chickens for about 2 years. Black Australorps and RIRs. They have eaten NCO (organic) feed the whole time. They eat almost none of the powdered supplements. Wet or dry, it matters not. I also tried crumble and pellets. No change. They have access to crushed oyster shells and oyster shell flakes.

Except for what falls from the sky, our property and home are chemical-free. They have free-ranged the whole time. I've cleaned their sleeping area daily the whole time.

Their lives are peaceful and free. They have had diarrhea for about the past year. A vet tested 3 bird poop samples and said they were free from parasites. In addition to diarrhea, their egg production has gradually fallen off. Some days are zero. The most they lay is 4. Some of the shells are so thin that if another bird climbs in, it smashes. I often find a shell-less, splatted egg in the morning which was dropped from a (nighttime) roost bar. I've resorted to lining their 4x6 sleeping area with medical disposable table covers for ease of cleaning and so I can see what's going on.

It seems like they might have egg drop syndrome. It is primarily spread by wild water fowl which has never landed here. No water or pond, here. I don't know what to do. And, if I start over with new birds, how will they not get it, too?

 

[azygous]

What is your location? Tell us what are the ingredients in the organic feed? Tell is what all types of table scraps or other things the chickens eat.

Your location will tell us if your chickens are molting and also if the climate is contributing to this issue. Are you using any supplements added to the drinking water or feed?

 

[K-Hill]

Thank you...

Ingreds are: Organic Field Peas, Organic Corn, Organic Wheat, Organic Oats, Fish Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Organic Alfalfa Pellets, Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate, Organic Flaxseed, Organic Vegetable Oil (Organic Sunflower or Organic Flax), Monocalcium Phosphate, Organic Dehydrated Kelp Meal, Salt, DL Methionine, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite, Riboflavin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenic Acid, Niacin Supplement, Choline Chloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Manganese Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Active Dry Yeast, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation product, Dried Bacillus licheniformis Fermentation product, Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Product.

No table scraps. Occassional organic cucumber or organic grated broccoli stems. (Occasianal)

No water additives.

Location is an hour west of Asheville, NC.
Diarrhea and soft/shell-less eggs for a year.

Thanks, again.

 

[azygous]

Flax seed and flax or sunflower oils do cause loose stools. As long as your chickens are behaving normally, active, eating well, etc, loose stools are not anything more than a sloppy inconvenience. You might experiment with another feed mixture that doesn't include flax.

If you have stretches of hot weather, that can cause loose stools when the chickens drink a lot of water.

You are in the northern hemisphere, so your chickens, at age two, will be going through their first adult molt. Egg quality and quantity decreases during this time. It should pick up again in late January with good quality eggs.

 

[K-Hill]

Thank you.

Would you care to share what you're feeding?

(Their diarrhea and drop in eggs has been going on for a year in all types of temperatures and times of the year.)

 

[azygous]

I've fed Purina Flock Raiser all these years to my mixed flock with oyster shell for the layers.

 

[K-Hill]

Thank you

 

[SkyAJK]

I've had 10 chickens for about 2 years. Black Australorps and RIRs. They have eaten NCO (organic) feed the whole time. They eat almost none of the powdered supplements. Wet or dry, it matters not. I also tried crumble and pellets. No change.

I know this is an old post, I just wonder how are your chickens doing now? Any improvement?

I have a 2+ years old Ply Rock hen, she poops liquid and does not lay egg at all, once in awhile she poops out a tiny tiny egg without york. She is eating, drinking.e.tc.. live her chicken life with liquid poop, I wash her bottom every 2nd day or every day when it gets so dirty with liquid poop.

At first, I stopped feed her all fruits and veg, only dry feed, and she poops solid, no liquid poop.

But then what is living with such a strict diet, so I let her have whatever the rest of the flock has. She is the only one with this liquid poop issue.

Still no egg from her, but I accept now that as long as she is happy that all that matter. But she is at time sit in the nest box trying to lay eggs, so I am not sure if she is internal laying or what up?

 

[K-Hill]

Hi, thank you for reaching out! I hope this isn't too much information. =)

One thing I did, was switch from New Country Organic layer feed to Nature's Best organic pellets from Tractor Supply. I was so weary of throwing away half of the NCO feed because they almost never ate any included powdered supplements. I still give an occasional cucumber cut in half lengthwise, grated raw broccoli stems, part of a head of raw cauliflower. Mine love these foods. And, scratch or black soldier fly larvae in the evening. I found a USA source here or here.

The second thing I did, was put a liberal amount of colloidal silver in their water. I only put out a few cups of water at a time so as not to waste. Don't use any silver product that is brown instead of clear. Full disclosure, a friend of mine makes colloidal silver and I did use hers for about 10 days. I actually used 50% silver and 50% water.

Then I switched to the one I use myself. About 2-1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup silver. This is my personal favorite. It is a true nano-silver which doesn't collect in the body. It's also a great mouthwash, wound cleanser, antibacterial. There are studies showing silver's effectiveness on MRSA. I've been using silver for about a month, total, so far.

This is after I tried, Corid, Fenbendazole, diatomaceous earth and other things. A vet said they didn't have parasites. I thought they had egg drop syndrome but was unwilling to subject them to blood tests. I still don't know what was wrong with them.

A couple of weeks ago, 2 chickens started laying normal eggs. Large, dark shell pigment, strong shells. This is a big change. Before, the shells were thin and/or soft, and pale. They had quit laying altogether a long time ago. Now, 2 more chickens are laying. None today, however. It's been very cold here in western NC. Single digits and low teens at night. I am not offering a heat source.

Out of 10 chickens, only 2 have softer poops. Keep in mind, it used to look like egg whites - and maybe it was. Who knows? If I had known keeping chickens would be rocket science, I would likely not have started.

I came very close to getting rid of all 10 hens right at the time I started the silver. I plan to do everything I can to avoid chemicals going forward. An "expert" told me that they are permanently comprised every time we use those products. And, btw, our home and property are totally chemical and scent free, unless you consider baking soda and vinegar, lol.

 

[SkyAJK]

Thank you for your update, it is very informative.
It is great that some of your hens have started laying eggs again and their poops are better. The colloidal silver drink & the change of feed must have done something.

It was good that you committed to caring for your chickens. It is not easy to raise and caring for chickens. It is more than just feeding and housing. So much love both ways.

I am thinking about colloidal silver, I would need to separate that 1 hen to give her this to drink. I feed my flock with can sardine 1 a week and with this hen - Apple she has exactly what the flock has and she is the biggest in my flock.