Weird looking droppings

[Guest]

One of my hens is having a brownish,  looser dropping. Not sure which one as it isn\'t all the time, but atleast everyday I am finding this type of dropping in the hen house. Is this cause for concern? They all seem to be doing just fine. Bright eyes, clear vents, eating and drinking.  What should I do?

[Guest]

Are they free range?

[Guest]

Thank you for responding! No, they are not freerange. This afternoon I noticed alot more of this type of dropping and it seems to be a little looser. However, it did get colder and they are spending more time inside. I called a vet, but haven\'t heard back. I am worries that it might be cocidosis(sp?).

[Guest]

Doesn\'t sound like coccidiosis unless it\'s a really mild case.
When my chickens have had it, they didn\'t eat or drink as well and sometimes stopped alltogether. They get inactive and stand still a lot or even lay down if its bad.

There are a lot of things that can cause loose droppings.  How old are the hens and have you fed them anything new or different?

[John]

Also post your health questions on Peter Brown\'s forum.  
http://www.featherfanciers.com/index.html

[Mike Gilbert]

My dear old dad never cared at all for chickens, but he had one chicken joke he liked to tell:

\"Do you know what that white stuff in the chicken poop is?\"

Answer:   \"Oh that\'s chicken poop too.\"     Bad, bad, bad.

[Guest]

Here is a very simple diagnostic guide (which implies brown dropping are not a problem by not including them)
http://www.msstate.edu/dept/poultry/diagext.htm
Mine are free range and their dropping vary quite a lot. Have you changed feed, or shavings recently?