Poopy Butt

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by Rhonda
(CA)

Question

Poopy Butt: What causes it? Can it be treated? How is it prevented?

Answer
What causes it is some imbalance in the digestive tract. In order to treat it you have to find the cause of the imbalance…that’s the trick.

Prevention is all about a balanced diet (including vitamins and minerals and grit), good water and plenty of fresh air, sunshine and exercise.

Some breeds of chickens are extra fluffy in the rear and you may just have to keep that area trimmed, but normal chicken droppings, depending on what they eat, are formed and moist and generally roll off the vent area feathers, if they make contact.

Too much of certain foods can make droppings loose or sticky. A lot of fruit or greens would make for loose droppings, but are nothing to worry about.

Too much dairy protein, like cottage cheese, might not digest well and could make sticky droppings.

If the diet is a good balanced layer feed and hasn’t spoiled by moisture or rodent droppings and urine, there may be a bacterial imbalance.

Their digestive tract includes good bacteria that help break down feed so they can absorb the nutrients.

The wrong kind of bacteria getting into their digestive tract can cause problems, like after eating rotten or contaminated food.

If you have treated your flock with antibiotics, this can cause good bacteria to be killed off as well as the target bacteria you were wanting to kill.

Feeding “medicated” feeds over long periods of time can destroy a healthy digestive system. Probiotics can be purchased at most feed stores.

It’s a paste that contains millions of good digestive bacteria, like live culture yogurt does.

Giving this may help restore a good digestive system and prevent the “Poopy Butt” syndrome.

There are intestinal parasites and disease that can throw off good digestion .

Getting a stool sample tested by your vet should tell if any are present and which product would be best to treat. Chickens need access to fresh greens on a regular basis.

If you can’t free range your chickens on grass, try to provide dark colored leafy vegetables every week.

Fruits are good for chickens, too and contain enzymes that help with digestion.

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