I searched through the archives for an answer to this and got just one clue. At least three of my chickens have diarrhea. They are six weeks old and appear to be healthy in every other respect. In fact, the cockerel who has it the worst and has had it the longest is also the biggest and has established himself as king of the flock. The clue I got has to do with the water supply. I have a plastic waterer made like the kind where you turn a quart jar upside down. The trouble is that the birds like to perch on it and sometimes poop in the water. Now, my first thought is that the 'sick' birds should be isolated, but what about the watering business? I haven't been all that faithful about keeping it scrupulously clean every day, either. I'm new at this, and what might seem like common sense to some...

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), August 23, 2001

Answers

I forgot to mention that the little king has NO tail feathers AT ALL and his little butt is always dirty and devoid of either feathers or down. And he does get his share of dust baths.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), August 23, 2001.

First, start adding cider vinegar at a one ounce per gallon of water ratio, and use this mixture are the time. If you don't see inprovement in the consistency of the "poop", go to your local feed or ag store and ask for an additive to add to their drinking water to treat a bacterial infection, and follow label directions.

Chickens always seem to poop in their drinking water, no matter how you try to prevent it! The cider vinegar in the drinking water prevents many types of bacterial infection from affecting the chickens, and is a cheap and effective preventative, but I don't know if it will eliminate an established infection.

If you see poop sticking to any of the chickens bottoms, clean it off with warm water and a rag, this will stop them from continuing to lose their feathers.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), August 23, 2001.

You would need to treat all the chickens so not alot of reason to seperate just a few. I have my water for my hens on the outside of their coop. They put their heads through the chicken wire to get to their water, like little goats :) When they were younger I used the troughs they sell for wallpaper soaking, now I just have rubbermaid containers. Works great. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), August 23, 2001.

I would treat your chickens with Sulmet or the like, sounds like cocci. My friend just gave me a silkie she got at the fair, and it is one sick little bird. I have to treat all my chickens now, but have that silkie quarantined all the same. Never again, no more "fair" birds!!!

-- Pamela Hood (pamandmatt@earthlink.net), August 23, 2001.

Thanks for all the help. I thoroughly scrubbed the waterer and put vinegar in the water. ALL the chickens really scooped up that water!! Maybe something in the vinegar they all needed? Cleaning their little butts was disgusting, but they sure look better now. The King's poop looks better, too.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), August 24, 2001.