Warm boot recommendations please

[fog_horn_leghorn]

Hi,

Are there any refrence photos of chicken droppings on this site or anywhere else please? Whats healthy, wots not etc? I have 3 chooks and most of the droppings look healthy .. as in firm, light brown (same colour as the feed interspersed with seeds etc). However one of them (I dont know who yet!) is having what I can only describe as runny mustard colour evacuations!!

 

Also ... someone is "Ooops, word censored!"ping in the nest box at night. Is this a problem? Will it stop when they start laying and will a fake egg in the nest box stop it? They are all about 18weeks.

 

Cheers

Phil.

[Griffin]

Lots of poo here: http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=14546

[Plum]

They all do curry poos, its normal. Presumably its part of the bowel emptying out every 10th poo. Stink don't they

 

One of mine sleeps in the nest box at night. I'm too soft to move her so I get some poo there which sometimes soils the egg a little. I just wipe it off with a clean wet towel, so not bothered.

 

You can encourage them out and put something to block the nestbox at night but you may find them laying on the bars then.

[fog_horn_leghorn]

Thanks for those great links. Thats put my mind at rest. It seems its a creacreal (however it's spelt) pooh.

 

So dropping in the nest box is normal it seems .... I put fresh straw in every day anyway so it wont build up. Thanks everyone

 

Phil.

[The Dogmother]

When I used the eglu, I put and old flowerpot in the nest box. Now I have the cube, I find that the smallest size tubtrug fits nicely into the round hole between the roosting and nesting areas.

 

As Plum has said, a curry poo every 10th poo or so is normal, but if they do them all the time, then try worming and report back.

[Hen Watch]

Thanks for those great links. Thats put my mind at rest. It seems its a creacreal (however it's spelt) pooh.

 

So dropping in the nest box is normal it seems .... I put fresh straw in every day anyway so it wont build up. Thanks everyone

 

Phil.

 

I'm a big softie and let mine sleep in the nestbox. I use Auboise bedding in there and it soaks up the worst and I flick it out into the eglu tray each morning. Get the odd mucky egg but I don't worry about that.

 

If your girls aren't laying you could put a football or flower pot in the nest box at night. Or if they are laying, do the same, but take it out again late at night so they can lay in the morning.

[Hangman]

Chicken Korma Syndome (okay, I made that up) - i.e. those "curry" defacations also occur after handling or a stressful event, it's possible that it could be some sort of reflex action to discourage predators - just a thought.

 

Pullets seem to be more prone to it.

[Aggienator]

My two girls always sleep in the nest box (Gertie on the right Flo on the left) facing inwards. Each morning there is a neat little line of poo on the outer edge which I just scoop out with a cat litter scoop. I put Aubiose in the nest box.

[Busybird]

I put shredded paper in the nest box and usually change it every other day when it gets pooey. The eggs also have regular poo marks - when i want to give any to friends I have to be very careful to select only the clean one's. Can't have them thinking my girls have poor personal hygiene standards

[Plum]

I use hemcore, its just like auboise and soaks up the poo. I chuck the poo out into main bit each morning and it stays lovely and fresh. There is only the minimal poo mark sometimes and that wipes off.

 

You can get egg cleaning stuff if you are worried.