Green droppings worry a lot of farmers — and with reason. A little green in the droppings can be normal (birds that graze or eat green feed pass some bile), but consistent, watery green droppings are a warning sign that the bird is not eating properly or is fighting an infection. Here's how to tell the difference and what to do.

1. Why droppings turn green

Green comes from bile, a greenish fluid the liver produces to help digest food. Normally bile is absorbed and the droppings come out brown. When a bird stops eating, or when the liver or gut is stressed, bile passes straight through — and the droppings turn green. So green droppings usually mean one of two things:

  • Not eating — illness, stress or pain has shut the appetite down.
  • Liver or gut damage — a disease is affecting the organs.

2. The diseases behind green droppings

  • Newcastle disease — a viral killer. Look for greenish, watery droppings, gasping, twisted neck (torticollis) and sudden death. Vaccination is the only real defence.
  • Fowl cholera — a germ disease that can cause greenish diarrhoea, swollen joints and sudden death in adult birds.
  • Coccidiosis — a gut parasite (a tiny bug that lives in the intestines); droppings are often greenish or bloody and watery.
  • Worms — a heavy load of worms upsets the gut and changes the droppings.
  • Mouldy feed or poisons — damaged feed can poison the liver and show up as green droppings.

3. What to do first

Separate any bird with green droppings immediately — most causes can spread from bird to bird. Keep the bird warm, quiet and with clean water, and observe: is it eating? Gasping? Twitching? These clues tell you what you're dealing with. Then get a vet or poultry specialist to confirm the cause, because the treatment is different for a virus, a bacteria and a parasite.

4. Treatment

  • Coccidiosis — a coccidiostat (a medicine that kills the coccidiosis parasite) at the correct dose.
  • Germ disease (fowl cholera) — a vet-prescribed antibiotic.
  • Worms — a dewormer, respecting the withdrawal period (the waiting time before the birds are safe to sell).
  • Newcastle — no direct cure; keep the bird comfortable and practise strict biosecurity (steps to keep disease off your farm). Prevention through vaccination is everything.

5. Prevention

  • Vaccinate against Newcastle disease on schedule.
  • Keep feed dry and never feed mouldy stock.
  • Keep water and feeders clean.
  • Keep new birds separate for a while (quarantine) and don't mix ages.
  • Deworm on a routine schedule.

If the droppings are white rather than green, read our guide to white diarrhoea in poultry. For the bigger picture on spotting trouble, see the symptoms of a sick chicken.

Key takeaways

  • Green droppings mean bile — usually from not eating or organ stress.
  • Newcastle disease is the most serious cause; vaccinate to prevent it.
  • Separate sick birds and confirm the cause before treating.
  • Never feed mouldy or damaged feed.