[LeeH]

One of my hens is passing a lot of water, along with bits undigested corn. She seems to have lost a bit of weight but is drinking plenty, eating and seems generally  OK.

The other half tells me she has seen some red in the poo too. 

If anybody could help I'd be grateful.   

Thanks.   

[Eve]

First: the red bits. If it's pure blood, so red thin water, it's a problem. But as she seems well other than the diarrhoea it was probably bits of intestinal lining: this looks as if there's red / orange coloured stringy flesh mixed in with the pooh, and it's harmless. Looks weird but nothing to worry about. Fingers crossed it was the latter.


As for the diarrhoea, how long has it been going on, has her diet changed (munching on cabbage?), has her feed changed? If you have any Avipro (probiotics) I'd give her some of that, and just give them pellets / mash without treats. Try to weigh her if you can to track her weight (if she's easy to pick up and might just stand still in a box on a set of scales for a few seconds  )

[chrismahon]

Could be worms and a lack of grit, or it may be she is moulting. When was she last wormed with Flubenvet, as that is the first thing to rule out? Avipro Avian may help as well.

[Marches Farmer]

My first suspect would also be worms.   I consider Autumn one of the key times for worming, so the poultry doesn't go into Winter weather with a worm burden.

[LeeH]

Thank you so much for you replies, I obviously need to know more about looking after our clucks. 

It has been going on for about 2 weeks. 

Their diet is an unrestricted amount of pellets and a cup of cracked maize with some corn and grit mixed in which is thrown in before bed time if we get home before dark.  This has obviously been getting more difficult. 

We have a cabbage hanging up most of the time that all 6 seem to mostly devour in 2 days.  We change it every week. 

We change the water very few days and rinse out the galvanised bucket and add 5ml of this. 

Net Tex Liquid Tonic with Seaweed, 250 ml https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003L6NZ9I/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_oq2swbRDTQEC6

They also get worms at the weekend along with banana, tomatoes and apple.

They have a grit box but have never seen them even look at it. 

Well, that's how we do it so please say if it's all wrong. 

She is moulting a little but I presumed it was a strange time of year to do that?

As far as I know she has never been wormed, can you recommend the best way of doing this?

Thanks everybody. 

Lee. 

[twizzel]

Flubenvet is the wormer you need, if you can source it then Mirages layers pellets come with it ready mixed in the pellet as the pot of powder can be a bit of a nightmare. Then just feed the pellets ad lib for 7 days. Chicken need to be wormed twice a year normally spring and autumn.

[Eve]

You're doing very well, Lee 


Like Twizzel said you can buy pellets with the wormer in, the main brand is Marriages, or mix up Flubenvet with the pellets you normally buy (one 5ml/6g  scoop per 2 kilos of feed, which I find really easy as that's about as much as fits in our feeders. Some people's flocks never get a worm burden but most do, and if you need to take a bird to the vet they'll usually ask when they were wormed.


As you mix grit in their corn they probably have enough grit and will ignore the grit box until they feel they need some more and help themselves.


So if you could worm them for 7 days (no treats, unfortunately) and there is no improvement, then we can help you look for other possible causes. You might want to get hold of some Avipro Avian which is a probiotic and useful to have.

[Marches Farmer]

My poultry is fed only layers pellets with a sprinkling of milled wheat + barley once a day to keep them coming to call.  The mucky water in the drinkers is drained out every day and the drinkers are scrubbed out fornightly or more often as needed.  Feeders are also regularly empties and scrubbed out.  Feeders are taken in at night.  Some of my hens have moulted late this year - I blame the confusing weather.