What Does Chicken Poop Look Like? A Complete Guide

As a chicken owner you’re going to deal with chicken poop on a regular basis. While it may not be the most appealing topic, knowing what’s normal and abnormal when it comes to chicken droppings is an important part of flock management. Read on for a complete guide to understanding chicken poop.

What Does Normal Chicken Poop Look Like?

Normal chicken poop can vary quite a bit in color, depending on the individual hen, its diet, time of year, and overall health status. However, there are some general characteristics that can help you identify normal droppings:

• Color: Shades of brown, tan, or green are most common. The green color typically comes from eating lots of greens, weeds, or veggies.

• Texture Normal droppings have a soft, mushy consistency They are moist but not runny

• Coating: Healthy poop is covered with a white cap or coating of urates (the chicken’s version of urine).

What Are the Different Types of Chicken Poop?

While normal chicken poop is soft and brown, you may see some variations including:

• Green poop Caused by eating greens, weeds, grasses Also could indicate illness

• Yellow poop: Can indicate internal parasites or disease. Often just diet-related.

• Black poop: Typically from eating blackberries or other dark foods.

• Runny poop: Not abnormal. Could mean a diet high in water content.

• Clear, watery poop: If ongoing, it could indicate disease. Usually just from high water intake.

• Orange poop: Generally harmless and caused by intestinal lining shedding.

• Bloody poop: Serious sign of disease like coccidiosis. Requires prompt veterinary care.

So while color variations occur, bloody droppings require immediate attention.

What Does Abnormal Chicken Poop Look Like?

While abnormal chicken poop deserves a closer look, first consider whether diet or environment explains it. However, here are some truly abnormal droppings:

• Excessively watery
• Foamy or frothy
• Very foul-smelling
• Presence of blood, worms, or other foreign matter
• Change in frequency (constipation/diarrhea)

You should also watch for symptoms like lethargy, appetite issues, dropped egg production. Get prompt veterinary advice for abnormal poop with other symptoms present.

Tips for Monitoring Chicken Poop

• Check droppings daily to establish a baseline for what’s normal

• Make notes if you see any changes in color/texture/frequency

• Consider diet as an explanation for color variations

• Install droppings boards in coop to easily see droppings

• Bring fecal samples to the vet if concerned about parasites/disease

How Can Chicken Poop Signal Illness?

Abnormal chicken droppings can sometimes be the first sign of illness in chickens. Here’s how poop can indicate certain health conditions:

• Coccidiosis: Bloody, red-tinged poop

• Worms/parasites: Visible worms present

• Infectious bronchitis: Very watery, yellow poop

• Marek’s disease: Greenish, yellow poop

• Egg binding: Lack of droppings from not eating

So monitor poop for early clues about flock health issues. But first rule out dietary causes.

When to Call a Veterinarian about Poop

Contact your vet if you notice:

• Blood in the poop
• Significant change in color/texture
• Straining to pass droppings
• Lack of poop (possible egg binding)
• Diarrhea lasting over 24 hours
• Visible worms or parasites

A fecal float test can check for parasites. Prompt treatment of illness may be needed based on droppings.

Takeaways on Chicken Poop

• Normal poop varies in color but is formed and coated in white urates

• Diet explains color changes more often than illness

• Bloody, extremely watery, or wormy poop requires veterinary attention

• Use droppings as a clue to your chickens’ health

• Consider diet and environment before assuming every change means sickness