Is my chicken's poop normal?

September 24, 2026

Chickens poop. A lot. And if you’re new to chicken keeping, you may not know what a “normal” chicken poop looks like. Luckily for you, we’ve spent a lot of time around chickens, and we’re not afraid to talk poop.

First of all, it’s good to know that chicken poop varies a LOT, and almost everything is “normal”. Chicken poop ranges greatly in color and texture, and this is generally not something to be concerned about. But for our frantic flock owners, rather than listing all the “normal” kinds of poop first, we thought it would be helpful to know what kind of poop is concerning before making you look at a gallery of normal turds.

Very bloody or bright red poop: Most commonly, this is a sign of coccidiosis, which is a severe intestinal infection caused by microscopic parasites (Merck Veterinary Manual). We recommend contacting your veterinarian right away for diagnosis and treatment.

Worms in poop: This one’s very straightforward. At least one of your birds has worms. Treat your flock with a proven poultry dewormer! Contact your veterinarian for specific dewormer suggestions (Penn State Extension).

Although these are the two main abnormal types of chicken poop, if you feel like something is off, especially if accompanied by birds who are lethargic or drooping, not eating, or losing weight, you should contact your veterinarian.

Now get ready to learn about normal poop!

There are two main kinds of normal chicken poop. Regular poop, and cecal poop.

Regular poop: This is what you will see most commonly. Regular chicken poop is on the firm side, with a tubular shape. It can vary greatly in color, but is generally a shade of brown. It usually has a white cap, which is made of uric acid, the chicken equivalent of pee.

Cecal poop: This sticky, pudding-like (and super smelly) poop is also very normal. While it is quite nasty to step in, it’s actually a good sign that your chicken’s digestive tract is working well. It also usually ranges in hues of brown.

Aside from these common forms of chicken poop, you will also see:

Watery/milky poop: This usually happens on hot days when your chickens have increased their water intake.

Grassy/green poop: Your chickens have been foraging and eating their greens.

Foamy poop: Basically the chicken equivalent of diarrhea. If you see it every once and a while, don’t stress. If it’s recurring, contact your veterinarian.

Unusual-colored poop: Chickens’ poops vary greatly in color depending on what they’ve been eating. Beets and cabbage specifically can turn their turds a lovely teal!

Disturbingly large “broody poops”: Broody hens hold their poop in while they are sitting on their eggs. This means when they finally get a break, they will have quite a lot of waste to dispose of. These look like normal chicken poops but much larger.

Lightly bloody poops: Chickens regularly shed their intestinal lining, which can add some blood to their poop. Unless you notice other signs of illness, an occasional spot of blood in poop is generally not a concern.

Information and photos of regular chicken poop via Fresh Eggs Daily, The Chicken Chick, and Backyard Chickens.

Again, unless your birds are showing other signs of illness, all of these forms of poop are usually not anything to be concerned about. Because chicken poop varies so much, if you’re taking good care of your birds and they appear healthy, you can generally assume they are.

Sources: