incontinent chicken? (excessive water passed)

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elmwood

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Hi,
Not really sure how to explain or word this one.

Our Pekin, who is just over 2yrs old, seemingly very healthy, eating, drinking, scratching & active, has been passing lots of water in her poos. Each morning under her perch the bedding has been soaked for the past week or so. I thought we had a leak, so we have now removed the bedding, laying large packing sheets down under her and monitoring the extent of the problem.

The morning water puddle, after the paper has soaked it up, looks really large with some small watery poohs in there. BUT she seems absolutely fine, she even flies up to the top rung of her perch to roost with her young pullets. Her crop is full of an evening, her comb is reddening up nicely, along with all the others, and she looks fine.

Should I be worried, is it old age, a possible kidney infection/damage?

We have scrubbed the water containers, we change the water daily and at the moment they are all drinking water with "lovit amino plus liquid" in to give them a boost.
All the other girlies are fine........have just been out to check on them and already she has a largish pool of liquid directly underneath her, which is been absorbed by the newspaper and packing paper. (extra layers after this morning sodden mess).....All got nicely full crops.....

Hope someone can point me in the right direction.
Thanks Sharron
 
It could be absolutely nothing, but it is also a symptom of renal problems.

Any staining of her droppings or is the water clear? How long has this been happening for? If it just a couple of days it might just resolve itself. There is a possibility that the supplements may be affecting her electrolyte balance causing excess excretion of fluids through the kidneys.

Can I ask why they are on supplements? It might be a good idea to discontinue and keep her on a bland low-protein diet for now..ie. just normal pellets, no treats or additives to water and see how she goes.
 
We've got a lot of hens doing this at the moment Sharron . All perfectly healthy but not laying. The few layers are fine and half of the none layers are fine. They were all Flubenveted before Christmas. No suppliments except the 1% ACV in water once a month for about 5 days. The Buff Orpingtons are the worst and they are the big eaters. I am not sure if it is because they are drinking a lot to flush out excess Calcium in their system from the layers pellets, which they are on because a few are laying. The groups where none are laying and are therefore on rearers pellets have normal poos. Can't say I am worried, but we have had to put cardboard down because the floors are getting sodden which is a pain. Even Aubiose can't soak it up. I've never noticed it before, but I am rather more observant than I was last year, since joining this forum actually!
 
I am absolutely no expert, but just an idea on this - could it be that a lot of water is used in egg production and if they are still drinking the usual amount of water, but not laying, then all the water is passed rather than going into egg laying! This would explain why the layers have normal poos. The watery poos that my hens were producing has now stopped and they have started laying, just coincidence maybe?
 
Thankyou everyone for your helpful advice.

I hadn't really thought it could all be about none egg laying.

This girlie hasn't laid since last July, having hatched some chicks, and to this day is still raising them! As for the supps Foxy, I felt like I needed to give her (them something). It is given sparingly, 1ml to a litre of tap water, every few months for 3 days, more as a tonic. Given the fact they have all come out of a moult of varying degrees, I thought a pick me up, wouldn't harm them.
Her droppings appear clear on the soaked papers, but earlier today saw a milky one on the slabs. As for their food, they are all on Garvo Alfamix, which having just looked it up has 15.4% protein content with a 27g cacium content.

We ordered a change of food, Fancy Feed breeder and show pellets, which they all liked last summer, but their protein content is 17.5%, no idea about calcium content. Have yet to mix this in with the remaining Garvo. They have no treats, no corn, as the garvo seems to satisfy their need for treats.

Can I just say though, that my OH has been filling the water drinkers up with water from the rain water butt. Now he realises that this could be doing more harm than good, so they are back to tap water.

Having just checked on them again, Nutmegs puddle is ever increasing, think I'll have to either put a terry towel nappy round her or a bucket under her bum!

Chrismahon & Sue- does make me wonder if it is to do with non-egg production. The floor is literally soaked, as you say, will keep an eye on matters and report back.

Thanks Sharron
 
Just a little note, are you intending to breed soon? Fancy feed breeder and show pellets seems like a high protein content for pet layers otherwise. Garvo alfamix is lovely stuff, if a little expensive! :D

There should be no difference between laying hens and non-laying hens in terms of excreting fluids.

Keep an eye during the day to check there is no excessive drinking, or any unusual symptoms. I guess if she continues to behave normally and look well she will be fine! :D
 
Hi Foxy,

I know his sounds silly - I ordered these breeder/show pellets as I recall them all scoffing it so readily last summer, without giving the protein content a second thought. You are quite right, for pet layers it does seem excessive. As for Garvo, 1x 12.5 kg bag lasts me 4 weeks, and whilst proving a little costly for 6 banties, they have ALL loved it and there is so little waste. Just thought they could do with a change, and Fancy Feed is cheaper plus I get a 20kg bag!

We will definately be keeping an eye on her, and hopefully this will clear up.......will update, and once again many thanks for all your reassuring and quick replies.

Sharron x
 
I agree with Foxy, there non laying should not lead to an excess of water in the droppings and would put them onto a plain diet.
 
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