Chicken Vaccines

[Clucksaplenty]

HELP!!!! I recently bought chicks from Rural King in Uniontown, PA. I've had them for 5 days. One of my baby chicks is very lethargic( it's usually sleeping no matter what time I go in). When I refilled their food and water this morning all of the other chicks rushed to the containers, but the little sleepy chick stayed half asleep under the heat lamp. It is noticeably smaller than the rest of the chicks and doesn't seem to have a big appetite. I've only seen it occasionally somewhat peck at the food. I believe she is showing symptoms of coccsidiosis. Basically I am trying to find out if the chicks sent to Rural King in Union town were vaccinated against coccsidiosis so I can properly treat the chick. In the mean time I have her separated from the rest incase she is in fact sick and contagious and I am going to be giving her sav-a-chick. Based on the research I have done you shouldn't give the medicated starter to a chick vaccinated for coccsidiosis as it can cancel out the vaccine. I tried calling P.A dept of agriculture but no answer and rural king didn't even know what vaccines their chicks may or may not have.

P.S. As a side note one of our barred rock chicks died the day we brought it home as well...we are unsure of the cause but my husband says it didn't seem very active when he transferred it from the box.

 

[lazy gardener]

You can pretty much be assured that any feed store chicks have not been vaccinated for anything. Chicks are not vaccinated unless the customer pays for that vaccination when placing the chick order. Feed stores are looking to purchase chicks for the least cost to them, and sell them for the most profit to them.

Unfortunately, some chicks simply fail to thrive. Whether that's due to hatching and shipping stress or some other underlying cause is often difficult to determine. I can't advise you regarding your plan to treat for coccidiosis. I've never had issue with it in any of my birds, having had flocks for many years. Never used medicated feed, never felt the need to. I use a natural approach to build the immunity of my birds. Cocci are natural flora in a chicken's gut. Get blamed for a lot of illness and death. If the chick has a healthy immune system and gut flora the good guys proliferate, and keep the bad guys from becoming an issue.

 

[Clucksaplenty]

Do you think it would harm her at all to give her the medicated feed to be safe, since she is most likely not vaccinated? I figure the sav-a-chick wouldn't hurt since it's just a concoction of vitamins and probiotic. I really feel like with this chick I could save her at her current state and she could thrive with a little TLC.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! The medicated (with amprolium) feed helps chicks manage possible coccidia in their environment, so they aren't overwhelmed by exposure, and so they don't get sick. It's a good idea, because you won't know about your dirt in the yard if these are your first chickens. Your chick just isn't doing well, for an unknown reason, and the save-a-chick, used as directed, won't hurt. If the other chicks aren't hurting her, she would do best in the group rather than alone. Is your chick feed fresh? ALWAYS check the date on the bag, and get feed that's less than one month old only. Vitamins fade over time in the bag, which can be a huge issue. Recently I saw some chick starter at a local feed store that was EIGHT MONTHS old! I showed the manager, who said "I didn't notice it". Be aware, and buy fresh. Mary

 

[donrae]

the electrolytes, etc are a good idea. The medicated feed isn't going to hurt anything, but I don't see that it's going to help here.

the chick is less than a week old,and has not been on soil. It's too young to have a cocci load. First, it would have had to been exposed at some time, then build enough of a parasite load to cause illness. I don't see how that would happen in a single brooder raised chick of this age.

sounds more like failure to thrive to me. I'd offer supportive care, that's about the best you can do.