Coccidiosis is a disease most chicken keepers have experienced at least once, but it is a scary problem to deal with for those new to chickens. Luckily, there are lots of things you can do to help your chickens recover!
What is coccidiosis?
There are seven strains of coccidiosis that affect chickens and only a few cause bloody droppings- one of the most distinct signs that chicken owners use to diagnose coccidiosis. Most symptoms, however, are non-specific; they could indicate the presence of many different diseases!
Coccidiosis itself is caused by a protozoa from the genus Eimeria, and four of the seven strains are considered to be the most important (in the commercial poultry industry) -they are the most prevalent, and the most pathogenic.
Coccidiosis damages the epithelial cells of the intestinal lining, limiting nutrient absorption. Each strain is specific to an area of the gut. Coccidiosis is host-specific; there is no risk of it infecting you!
How is coccidiosis spread?
Coccidia is present on most poultry-raising properties. However, the disease only occurs once sporulated oocysts have been ingested by the bird. Infected birds shed these oocysts in their droppings, and the oocysts therefore contaminate bedding, nest-boxes, dust, soil, food and water.
Even if your flock has never been infected before, simply visiting an infected premise can spread the oocytes to your flock. Flies, other insects and rodents (for example, rats) can also transmit this disease to your flock.
So, it’s very difficult to prevent contamination from coccidia oocytes if you don’t practise good biosecurity (another reason why you should!).
Symptoms of coccidiosis
Reduced feed consumption
Rapid weight loss
Lethargy
Ruffled feathers
Watery droppings
Severe diarrhoea
Bloody droppings -this is a sign of cecal coccidiosis.
Pale face, wattles and comb
Hunched position
Reduction in egg production
Immune status, age, dose of infection and strain of coccidiosis are all factors that will affect the symptoms shown- some birds may show very little, even none, of these symptoms and others will display all of them.
Treatment of coccidiosis
Amprolium is a commonly used medicine for treating coccidiosis. It is not an antibiotic, instead it is classed as a feed additive. It is an antagonist of thiamine (Vitamin B1). Thiamine is very important for the coccidia, and so the coccidia are killed by a thiamine deficiency
https://poultrydvm.com/drugs/amprolium is a helpful overview of dosage, side effects and has a general overview of amprolium.
Always consult a vet for dosing!!
Prevention of coccidiosis
As with the prevention of most chicken diseases, good husbandry is key. It has been found that damp litter, overcrowding, stress, and high humidity increases the prevalence of coccidiosis infections. In drier, cooler conditions, sporulation of the oocysts is delayed. However, the oocytes can survive to temperatures as low as 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit). Due to a tough, multi-layered wall, the oocytes are resistant to most common disinfectants.
High ammonia concentrations has been found to reduce oocytes numbers, although it is an impractical method, as high ammonia levels are dangerous to chickens. Controlling vermin is incredibly important to prevent not just coccidiosis, but many other diseases.
It is also possible to selectively breed resistance to coccidiosis into your flock, although this will take many generations.
There is a vaccination available, and commercially bred chickens and chicks from most commercial hatcheries will have been vaccinated for coccidiosis. However, if you are hatching your own eggs, vaccination is near impossible: The vaccination comes in doses for hundreds, even thousands, of chickens.
There are feed additives, called anticoccidials, that can prevent coccidiosis, but there are a few disadvantages:
Many strains of coccidiosis have developed resistance to some of the anticoccidials, due to overuse in the commercial poultry industry.
If you sell eggs, consumers may object to the use of these additives, as they are seen as unnatural.
Willow's experience with Coccidiosis - A case study
One week after we had bought our first chickens -Willow and Holly, two buff Orpingtons- Willow stopped eating. Like most new chicken owners, we were extremely concerned. No vet near us would treat chickens, and we were terrified we would lose her to this mysterious disease.
Willows symptoms were non-specific: She was hunched over, fluffed her feathers up and refused to eat, drink or even move. She was pale, and had extremely dirty vent feathers- probably from diarrhoea. There was no blood in her droppings. Strangely, we found she had very cold feet and legs.
After some internet research (BYC was really helpful in the diagnosis!), I came to the conclusion that she had coccidiosis. We managed to get a prescription over the phone for amprolium, and the next day we came home to Willow with a bottle of liquid amprolium. The instructions stated that we should put it in her water, and, despite our encouragement, she would not drink the medicated water. Instead, we syringed it into her beak, with one person holding her, and another opening her beak and syringing in the liquid. We did this for 7 days (I still think she holds a grudge against me for that!) and Willow recovered without any side effects. She was 14 weeks old at this time, and is now 3 years old.
Suprisingly, our other hen -Holly- displayed absolutely no symptoms. We had not thought to quarantine Willow, and Holly had been next to her all that time, tidbitting Willow like a mother hen would, and scratching around her.
Even a year later, Holly managed to survive a full-flock mycoplasma infection with only a few sniffles. It could be that Holly has a naturally stronger immune-system, though i will likely never know.
Both hens were vaccinated against coccidiosis before we bought them.
Willow, Displaying the characteristic hunched position (above).
Willow, two week after treatment (Willows on the right).
Willow, the only Buff-coloured chicken in this picture, two years later, sitting happily with her flock.
Useful links
Here's a good link on administering medicine orally:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/
And one on the dosage of corid and amprolium:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ol-ampromed-the-correct-amprolium-dose.73341/
Another on administering corid and amprolium:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/corid-amprolium-oral-drench-instructions.74391/
Disclaimer: I am not a vet! Consulting a vet is always extremely important!!
Thank you for reading, and good luck with your chickens!
What is coccidiosis?
There are seven strains of coccidiosis that affect chickens and only a few cause bloody droppings- one of the most distinct signs that chicken owners use to diagnose coccidiosis. Most symptoms, however, are non-specific; they could indicate the presence of many different diseases!
Coccidiosis itself is caused by a protozoa from the genus Eimeria, and four of the seven strains are considered to be the most important (in the commercial poultry industry) -they are the most prevalent, and the most pathogenic.
Coccidiosis damages the epithelial cells of the intestinal lining, limiting nutrient absorption. Each strain is specific to an area of the gut. Coccidiosis is host-specific; there is no risk of it infecting you!
How is coccidiosis spread?
Coccidia is present on most poultry-raising properties. However, the disease only occurs once sporulated oocysts have been ingested by the bird. Infected birds shed these oocysts in their droppings, and the oocysts therefore contaminate bedding, nest-boxes, dust, soil, food and water.
Even if your flock has never been infected before, simply visiting an infected premise can spread the oocytes to your flock. Flies, other insects and rodents (for example, rats) can also transmit this disease to your flock.
So, it’s very difficult to prevent contamination from coccidia oocytes if you don’t practise good biosecurity (another reason why you should!).
Symptoms of coccidiosis
Reduced feed consumption
Rapid weight loss
Lethargy
Ruffled feathers
Watery droppings
Severe diarrhoea
Bloody droppings -this is a sign of cecal coccidiosis.
Pale face, wattles and comb
Hunched position
Reduction in egg production
Immune status, age, dose of infection and strain of coccidiosis are all factors that will affect the symptoms shown- some birds may show very little, even none, of these symptoms and others will display all of them.
Treatment of coccidiosis
Amprolium is a commonly used medicine for treating coccidiosis. It is not an antibiotic, instead it is classed as a feed additive. It is an antagonist of thiamine (Vitamin B1). Thiamine is very important for the coccidia, and so the coccidia are killed by a thiamine deficiency
https://poultrydvm.com/drugs/amprolium is a helpful overview of dosage, side effects and has a general overview of amprolium.
Always consult a vet for dosing!!
Prevention of coccidiosis
As with the prevention of most chicken diseases, good husbandry is key. It has been found that damp litter, overcrowding, stress, and high humidity increases the prevalence of coccidiosis infections. In drier, cooler conditions, sporulation of the oocysts is delayed. However, the oocytes can survive to temperatures as low as 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit). Due to a tough, multi-layered wall, the oocytes are resistant to most common disinfectants.
High ammonia concentrations has been found to reduce oocytes numbers, although it is an impractical method, as high ammonia levels are dangerous to chickens. Controlling vermin is incredibly important to prevent not just coccidiosis, but many other diseases.
It is also possible to selectively breed resistance to coccidiosis into your flock, although this will take many generations.
There is a vaccination available, and commercially bred chickens and chicks from most commercial hatcheries will have been vaccinated for coccidiosis. However, if you are hatching your own eggs, vaccination is near impossible: The vaccination comes in doses for hundreds, even thousands, of chickens.
There are feed additives, called anticoccidials, that can prevent coccidiosis, but there are a few disadvantages:
Many strains of coccidiosis have developed resistance to some of the anticoccidials, due to overuse in the commercial poultry industry.
If you sell eggs, consumers may object to the use of these additives, as they are seen as unnatural.
Willow's experience with Coccidiosis - A case study
One week after we had bought our first chickens -Willow and Holly, two buff Orpingtons- Willow stopped eating. Like most new chicken owners, we were extremely concerned. No vet near us would treat chickens, and we were terrified we would lose her to this mysterious disease.
Willows symptoms were non-specific: She was hunched over, fluffed her feathers up and refused to eat, drink or even move. She was pale, and had extremely dirty vent feathers- probably from diarrhoea. There was no blood in her droppings. Strangely, we found she had very cold feet and legs.
After some internet research (BYC was really helpful in the diagnosis!), I came to the conclusion that she had coccidiosis. We managed to get a prescription over the phone for amprolium, and the next day we came home to Willow with a bottle of liquid amprolium. The instructions stated that we should put it in her water, and, despite our encouragement, she would not drink the medicated water. Instead, we syringed it into her beak, with one person holding her, and another opening her beak and syringing in the liquid. We did this for 7 days (I still think she holds a grudge against me for that!) and Willow recovered without any side effects. She was 14 weeks old at this time, and is now 3 years old.
Suprisingly, our other hen -Holly- displayed absolutely no symptoms. We had not thought to quarantine Willow, and Holly had been next to her all that time, tidbitting Willow like a mother hen would, and scratching around her.
Even a year later, Holly managed to survive a full-flock mycoplasma infection with only a few sniffles. It could be that Holly has a naturally stronger immune-system, though i will likely never know.
Both hens were vaccinated against coccidiosis before we bought them.
Willow, Displaying the characteristic hunched position (above).
Willow, two week after treatment (Willows on the right).
Willow, the only Buff-coloured chicken in this picture, two years later, sitting happily with her flock.
Useful links
Here's a good link on administering medicine orally:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/
And one on the dosage of corid and amprolium:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ol-ampromed-the-correct-amprolium-dose.73341/
Another on administering corid and amprolium:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/corid-amprolium-oral-drench-instructions.74391/
Disclaimer: I am not a vet! Consulting a vet is always extremely important!!
Thank you for reading, and good luck with your chickens!
