Why are my 2.5 week old chicks having diarrhea?

[valleychicks]

I have been giving my chicks the same food for 2 weeks Durmor & Manna Pro Chick feed mixed together and they have been fine. Yesterday they finally discovered the bottle with the brooder nipple waterer and have been constantly playing with it. The bottle had probiotics for chicks mixed in the water. Do probiotics give chicks diarrhea? They also have the regular jar waterer that they use with just water. I try to keep the brooder temp around 82 on the warm end. There is no blood in the poo and no pasty butt. Any ideas?

 

[chickielips]

I wondered the same thing... and gave them the choice after a couple of weeks, and no difference.. I worried too, but it all seems to work out ok. My chicks are now 5 weeks, and the poo changes without rhyme or reason! So does my hens outside, depending on what they are foraging on. But when I scoop the poo in the morning, it all looks pretty normal, I have pretty much stopped worrying so much, as they are all healthy and laying beautiful eggs well.. not the chicks! Those are enjoying baby mealworms every few days... I farm those so I pick out the smallest.. 1/4 to 1/2 inch wormies.. they go nuts over those!

 

[brood mother]

My chicks have varying stool too. I've had to clean the booty's of a few under warm water! Wow, they liked that! Not! Lol! I am just feeding them starter grow and water, that's it. Should I be putting vitamins or something in their water? I haven't been so far.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I had that problem last year and someone recommended I turn down the heat a bit. When too hot they will drink too much water and gives them watery stools. I turned down the heat and that helped. I also ground up a bit of uncooked instant oatmeal and put it in their food and that seemed to help, too. I'm talking oatmeal out of the box, not the packets with the sugar and spices. I put it in the blender and ground it up and they loved it.

 

[brood mother]

Going to get a 100 watt bulb today. That way I think they will still be warm enough even the new babies I get today. If I give them ground up oatmeal do I have to give them grit??

 

[LPeaslee]

Your chickens will have Cecal poop about 1 out of every 10 stools., this is normal, it is from a part of their digestion system called the Cecal, this is where fiberious food is digested. The Cecal poop is runny, or direa like.

 

[brood mother]

Ok, I will just make sure I try to keep their little booty's clean lol!

 

[brood mother]

I also have a brown hen that seems to have some stool in her fluffy area below on her bottom. What do I do about that??

 

[valleychicks]

I also have a brown hen that seems to have some stool in her fluffy area below on her bottom. What do I do about that??

You could soak her bottom in warm water and wipe gently. Same as the chicks. Here is a lot of info on the subject.
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/search?q=pasty+butt

 

[brood mother]

Omg! I can't imagine how that would work out lol!!! She'd have to let me carry her to the house first. Where would I do it, kitchen sink, bathroom sink?? Would I just hold her bottom under running water like the chick?

Well, as for the chicks, I may change the heat bulb that is 250 watts to a regular 100 watt bulb. See how that works. I've just been hesitant to do that cause I get my new roo chicks today.