Chickens are fascinating animals to study because they can be used as an example of many different things in biology. They are also one of the most popular pets around the world. In this article, I will elaborate on how chickens behave when it comes to pooping and peeing.
How does a chicken urinate
Chicken does not have a bladder that stores urine like humans and other mammals do. Instead, they have kidneys that absorb water back into the body, filter blood, and remove waste products such as urea nitrogen and creatinine. The filtered blood is then sent to the liver, where nutrients such as protein and minerals are extracted before returning to the bloodstream.
This process takes place every time a chicken pees. In simple terms, chicken does excrete uric acid, which is insoluble in water. You can see the crystals of uric acid every time your chicken pees.
Do chickens urinate through their skins?
No!
Chicken does not have sweat glands responsible for producing moisture allowing them to get waste products, or ‘urinate’ through the skin. Instead, they have kidneys liable for producing uric acid crystals removed via the vent or cloaca.
How often do chickens poop and pee?
Chickens usually poop and pee every 30 minutes but sometimes more frequently than once per hour. It depends on what kind of food they eat and whether they are stressed out.
For instance, if they are fed with dry feed, they may need to go twice daily. If they are given wet food, they might require going several times a day. Also, some breeds of chickens tend to produce fewer faeces compared to others.
Some breeds even don’t make any faeces at all.
Do chickens have a bladder?
No.
Chickens do not have a bladder. However, there is something called a “vent” located between the anus and genitals. When chickens defecate, the faecal matter passes through the vent and exits the bird’s rear end.
There is no way to stop the flow of faeces except by cutting off the vent. So, yes, chickens do pee and poop through the same opening.
Do chickens pee and poop from the same hole?
Yes!
Poop, eggs, and pee come out of the same hole. Chickens’ digestive system works differently from ours, and all water products are emptied out of the common opening called the cloaca.
Their intestines are divided into three parts; small intestine, large intestine, and rectum. Each part has its own function. The small intestine absorbs nutrients while the large intestine helps break down undigested material. The rectum collects faeces and sends them to the cloaca. Cloacae is the common name for the vent.
Do chickens poop and pee at the same time?
Yes!
Chicken do both pee and poop at the same time as both are emptied out through the common opening called the cloaca. Usually, after eating, chickens first pass gas and then start passing stool.
Sometimes, however, they just pass gas without having anything else to expel.
What are the benefits of chicken not producing liquid urine?
I love learning more about evolution and finding out why some animals behave in certain ways. One thing I learned about chickens is that they do not produce liquid urine. Why eliminate liquid urine? Here are three reasons.
- Liquid urine contains ammonia which is toxic to bacteria living inside the body.
- Urine is acidic and causes damage to the lining of the urinary tract.
- Helps chicken stay lighter. Therefore, eliminating liquid urine prevents these problems.
1. Ammonia toxicity
Ammonia is produced naturally by our bodies during digestion. Our livers convert amino acids into ammonium ions. These ions combine with hydrogen ions to form ammonium hydroxide. Then, this mixture travels to the kidney, where it gets rid of excess ammonia.
But when chickens drink too much water, their kidneys cannot filter enough ammonia because they lack a bladder. As a result, chickens get sick due to high levels of ammonia in their systems. To prevent this problem, chickens should be provided with adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D3.
They also need access to fresh air as well as clean drinking water.
2. Acidic environment damages the urethra
When chickens urinate, they release acid waste products such as carbon dioxide and bile salts. This creates an acidic environment around the urethral opening.
The pH level of the urethra can reach 3.5. In humans, the normal pH range is 7.0 – 8.4. A lower pH means higher acidity. If the pH drops below 5.5, the urethra will become damaged. It may even cause permanent injury if left untreated.
3. Helps chicken stay lighter
Typically, Liquid urine is heavy. Because chickens don’t have bladders, they must hold on to liquids until they’re ready to excrete them. That makes them heavier than other birds who have bladders. By eliminating liquid urine, chickens lose weight faster.
How to prevent problems in chicken urinating?
You can avoid chicken urinating via the following solution.
1. Monitor high protein diets
Usually, a high protein diet leads to excessive production of nitrogenous wastes. When your chickens eat lots of proteins, they tend to make more ammonia. Too much ammonia can lead to serious health issues like liver disease, respiratory infections, and diarrhoea.
So you should monitor how many calories each bird eats per day. You can use feed scales to measure food intake accurately. Also, keep an eye on the amount of litter your hens lay daily.
2. Provide enough water
Chickens require plenty of water to maintain good health. Water helps regulate internal temperature and keeps blood circulating properly throughout the body. Without proper water supply, chickens’ metabolism slows down, causing dehydration. Dehydration can affect the immune system making chickens vulnerable to diseases. Make sure your chickens always have access to freshwater.
3. Feed appropriate diets
Chickens usually consume less than 10% of their total energy requirements from dietary fibre. Dietary fibres help reduce intestinal gas formation and improve nutrient absorption. Fibre also promotes healthy gut flora.
However, most commercial poultry feeds contain very little dietary fibre. Therefore, you should provide your chickens with foods that are rich in dietary fibre. For example, wheat bran contains about 20 grams of dietary fibre per 100-gram serving.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, chickens produce both solid and liquid faeces. Solid faecal matter consists mostly of undigested plant material, while liquid faecal matter includes bacteria, enzymes, hormones, vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes. Chickens eliminate these materials using two different methods.
First, they pass solid faeces out of their digestive tract without any assistance. Second, they push liquid faeces out of their rectum using muscular contractions called defecation. Both types of elimination occur simultaneously when chickens need to poop and/or pee.
