698 ● DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

M Magnin

M Magnin
D Venne

D venne
Fig.113.1 & 113.2: Normal fecal droppings (note 1). Fig.113.3 & 113.4: Normal cecal droppings. Cecal dropping of
Fig.113.4 is normal but it is deposited on intestinal dropping.
M Magnin

M Magnin

M Magnin

M Magnin
Fig.113.5, 113.6 & 113.7: Fecal droppings (note 2). These moderate changes are the first alert Fig.133.8: Cecal dropping
signs of an intestinal disorder. (note 2).

JM Répérant
M Magnin

M Magnin
D Venne

Fig.113.9, 113.10 & 113.11: Faecal droppings (note 3). Diarrheic droppings can be observed in Fig.113.12: Caecal dropping
aviadenovirosis (Fig.113.10: Inclusion body hepatitis), sometimes with undigested feed and/or (note 3). Foamy, color change,
orange mucus (Fig.113.11: Coccidiosis with Eimeria acervulina). liquid or no consistency.
MT Casaubon Huguenin

B Robineau
M Magnin

M Magnin

Fig.113.13 & 113.14: Fecal droppings (note 4). Severe changes Fig.113.15 & 113.16: Cecal dropping (note 4). Very foamy
indicating a serious disease (Fig.113.13: presence of blood and (mousse), spread, color change, liquid (Fig.113.16:
Fig.113.14: Fumonisines intoxication). Brachyspira spp.).
I Dinev - Ceva Santé animale

I Dinev - Ceva Santé animale

D Venne
D Venne

Fig.113.17 & 113.18: Dropping observation must be carried around Fig.113.19 & 113.20: Pullorum disease. White diarrhea. Feathers
waterers (Fig.113.17: presence of blood) and leakage from drin- around the vent in many chickens is stained with diarrheic feces
kers should not be confused with diarrhea (Fig.113.18). or pasted with dry faeces.
Section VII

D Venne

D Venne

D Venne

D Venne

Fig.113.21 & 113.22: Gumboro disease. Observation concerns Fig.113.23 & 113.24: Evaluation of the water content of droppings
not only the aspect of droppings in the litter but also birds at with ELANCOBOX (Fig.113.23). Example of normal droppings on
necropsy. absorbent paper in Fig.113.24.

Manual of poultry diseases

D Ve n n e , M M a g n i n & J B r u g è r e - P i c o u x AV I A N D R O P P I N G S ● 699

Differential diagnosis
113. AVIAN DROPPINGS
Observation of avian droppings is a diagnostic tool important to assess the water consumption of the
for early intervention during a bowel and/or cecal flock to determine whether the «aqueous» swelling
disease. It thus allows to limit the economic losses of fecal droppings comes from an overconsump-
associated with decreases in production (meat, tion of water (in this case non-pathological causes
eggs) and before the onset of significant mortality. are to be sought) or intestinal damage with impai-
When examining fecal or cecal droppings, it is red reabsorption. Both problems could occur
important to assess water content (normal, mode-
rate, aqueous or very liquid during diarrhea), concurrently.
increased volume, loss of consistency, color
change (especially the presence of melena or fresh Many diseases are associated with diarrhea and its
blood), oily appearance, presence of undigested color may or may not be specific. For example, the
feed and/or abnormal smell. green color is caused by a bile pigment due to ano-
rexia and the white color results from an excessive
It is important to observe droppings around the amount of white urates in droppings (as the disease
drinkers in order to be consistent. But, in addition progresses, the droppings become totally white).
to droppings in the litter, one must also look at the
birds, especially the cloacal area and feathers soi- REFERENCES
led and stained with diarrheal droppings, some-
times forming a pasty mass after drying. Atlas of avian diseases (Cornell University).
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/.
The evaluation of the water content of manure Bostvironnois C. Utilisation de l’ELANCOBOX
ensures good litter quality (especially the preven- chez le poulet comme outil de diagnostic précoce
tion of skin diseases and pododermatitis) and early des enteritis. Bilan et perspectives. 5èmes J
detection of enteritis in flocks. This can be done Recherche Avicole Tours, 26 & 27 mars 2003,9-12.
using tools such as ELANCOBOX. This tool Kemin Industries. Your guide to abnormal avian
includes a special absorbent paper placed on the droppings.Int Poultry Prod. 2013,21(4):13.
litter and under a slatted box on which the birds Proudfoot FG & Dewitt WF. The effect of the pellet bin-
will defecate. This system provides a good assess- der lignosol FG on the chickens digestive system and
ment of the moisture content of droppings. It is general performance. Poultry Sci, 1976;55:629-631.

Aspect Origin Others aspects Examples (figures) Chap.

Small with a white urate cap, rather molded, usually have a down feather
CHANGES OF FAECAL & CAECAL DROPPINGS

(note 4) (note 3) (note 2) (note 1)

Red flag Healthy

Faecal attached to it, have no sign of wetness surrounding it; no smell, dry, color (113.1 & 113.2)
greenish brown, absence of mucus or undigested grains

Varies in color (can be dark almost black/brown),

Caecal (113.3 & 113.4)
firm and smooth, viscous, smelly

Increased size, beginning of destructuration,

Faecal (113.5, 113.6 & 113.7)
oily, increased moisture

Watery, loss of consistency, foamy, color change,

Caecal (113.8)
early caecal dysfunction

Watery, lost firmness, (113.9)

Faecal undigested feed, Aviadenovirus (113.10) II.24
Bad

may have orange mucus Coccidiosis (113.11) IV.64

Caecal Foamy, color change, liquid, no consistency (113.12)
Chapter 113

Watery diarrhea, undigested feed, mucus, (113.13)

Danger

Faecal
necrotic material and/or blood 113.10: Mycotoxicosis IV.63

(113.15)
Caecal Very foamy (mousse), spread, color change, liquid
Brachyspira spp. (113.16) III.58

Tabl.113.1: Guide to abnormal avian droppings (adapted from Kemin Industries, 2013).

Manual of poultry diseases

 700 ● DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

D Venne
D Venne

D Venne

D Venne
Fig.113.25, 113.26, 113, 27 & 113.28: Other tools assessing the water content of droppings can be more precise and also allow a
better observation of their composition and color. Fig.113.25: normal. Fig.113.26: orange liquid (coccidiosis). Fig.113.27: orange
liquid and enteritis (coccidiosis). Fig.113.28: disease (grey droppings).

MP Callait-Cardinal & L Zenner

HJ Barnes

D Venne
D venne

Fig.113.29: Orange mucoid Fig.113.30: Histomoniasis. Fig.113.31: Poult enteritis mor- Fig.113.32 Droppings of cara-
droppings. Brillant yellow dropping. tality syndrom (PEMS). mel color.
Cornell University - PIADC

Cornell University - PIADC

JL Guérin

D Venne
Fig.113.33, 113.34 & 113.35: Green diarrheal droppings in acute septicemic disease like highly Fig.113.36: Green droppings
pathogenic avian influenza (Fig.113.33, one day post experimental inoculation), Newcastle disease can also be observed without
(Fig.113.34) or duck viral enteritis (Fig.113.35). diarrhea.
JM Répérant - Anses Ploufragan
D Venne

D Venne

D Venne

Fig.113.37: Presence of Fig.113.38: Caramel droppings Fig.113.39: Coccidiosis (E. Fig.113.40: Grey dropping.
hemorrhagic droppings on lit- then become hemorrhagic if no tenella). Hemorrhagic cecal
ter. early treatment of coccidiosis. dropping.
Section VII

D Venne

D Venne

D Venne

D Venne

Fig.113.41: Feed in dropping. Fig.113.42 & 113.43: Excess of salt in the ration causes diarrhea, Fig.113.44: Fasting is accom-
excretion of diluted urine and wet litter. Observation of a severe panied by a high excretion of
diarrhea on ELANCOBOX paper. urates.

Manual of poultry diseases

D Ve n n e , M M a g n i n & J B r u g è r e - P i c o u x AV I A N D R O P P I N G S ● 701

Aspect Origin Common causes Examples (figures) Chap.

Caramel Yellow Orange Orange tinge caused by sloughing of the intestinal mucosa, Coccidiosis (E. maxima) IV.64
coccidiosis (Eimeria maxima or E. acervulina) with or without diarrhea, Coccidiosis (E. acervulina) IV.64
Fecal or cecal
hypoglycemia - spiking mortality syndrome of broiler chickens (HSMS), HSMS IV.73
mucus, first droppings after fasting, loss of carotenes and vitamins, other (113.11 & 113.29)
Inclusion body hepatitis, avian enterovirus-like virus infection, Inclusion body hepatitis II.24
histomoniasis (blackhead, brillant yellow droppings, wasting, typhlitis);
Histomoniasis IV.66
Fecal or cecal poult enteritis mortality syndrome (PEMS): yellow to watery brown droppings;
PEMS IV.72
foamy: problem of maldigestion and
fermentation in ceca (undigested food, infection, parasites, etc.) (113.10, 113.30 & 113.31)
(113.10, 113.30 & 113.31)

With or without foam, Brachyspira spp. III.58

foamy yellow-brownish (or caramel) in Brachyspira spp. infection, Coccidiosis (E. maxima) IV.64
Fecal or cecal
first stage of coccidiosis or some other parasites, Parasites IV.67
other
(113.16 & 113.32)
Avian influenza II.18
Biliary origin: fasting, anorexia (related to disease); Newcastle disease II.19
fat problem in feed (rancidity, quantity, absorption, etc.); Colibacillosis III.45
Green

Acute septicemic diseases, Clostridiosis IV.51

COLOR

Faecal or caecal Spirochaetosis III.61

(avian Influenza, Newcastle disease, spirochaetosis, duck virus enteritis),
hepatic diseases (clostridiosis, colibacillosis, etc.), Duck virus enteritis VI.89
other (113.33, 113.34,
113.35 & 113.36)
Turkey hemorrhagic enteritis II.25
Red (blood)

Acute hemorrhagic enteritis:

Coccidiosis (E. tenella) IV.64
turkey hemorrhagic enteritis (Siadenovirus),
Parasites IV.67
hemorrhagic nephritis enteritis of geese (or HNEG),
Faecal or caecal HNEG VI.88
coccidiosis (caecal coccidiosis due to E. tenella);
parasites, wound, cannibalism, Duck virus enteritis VI.89
other (113.13, 113.17, 113.37,
113.38 & 113.39)
Grey

Malabsorption, mixture of bile and urates,

Fecal or cecal antitrypsin factor [soya or rapeseed (Canola) undercooked], (113.28 & 113.40)
other

Too warm temperature with excess water consumption,

(tarry)
Black

(each °C above the comfort zone leads to an

Fecal or cecal increase in water consumption by 10%);
presence of melena (digested blood;pellet binder "Lignosol FG";
excess fiber (e.g., wheat, barley)
Undigeste
OTHER

d food

Malabsorption, transit too fast,

Fecal or cecal inadequate size particles in the ration, (113.41)
other

Tabl.113.2: Guide to abnormal color or composition of avian droppings.

Common causes Less common causes Rare causes
Raw soybean meal
Heat stress I.7 Hardware disease
IV.63 Toxic plants
Vent prolapse I.9 Mold toxins in feed
Excess salt in the diet IV.71
Marekʼs disease II.33 Rotavirus or entero-like virus infections II.18 Avian influenza II.18
Lymphoid leukosis II.34 Infectious coryza III.47 Newcastle disease II.19
Pullorum disease III.42 Fowl cholera III.46
Paratyphoid salmonella Chlamydiosis III.40
III.43
Chapter 113

Avian tuberculosis III.54

Arizonosis III.44 Campylobacteriosis III.53
Colibacillosis III.45 Erysypelas III.55
Listeriosis III.61
Clostridiosis III.51 Avian intestinal spirochetosis III.58
Aspergillosis IV.62
Coccidiosis IV.64 Histomoniasis IV.66
Heavy infections with threadworms IV.67
Tabl.113.3: Some causes of diarrhea in chicken (adapted from J Gauthier & R Ludlow, http://www.dummies.com/how-
to/content/diarrhea-in-adult-chickens.html).

Manual of poultry diseases