coccidiosis? ****Graphic Poo Pics****

[Rockpile99]

I just got 5 new chicks last night from the feed store. All different variets and all two weeks old. I had 'permission' to get three, but then they had a breed I had been looking for so begged for one of those and then was offered a free bantam. Well who can resist a free chick?

As it turns out - it's not me! But I told my husband as we left that nothing is ever free.

They were all looking a bit bedraggled as they've been at the feed store for two weeks. I decided that like it or not I was giving them all a warm bath today. They were all unusally docile last night and early this morning. We got home kind of late last night so I didn't think too much of it, but this morning when I got up they were all still in a corner not doing much, and even though I hadn't set up a light yet the room was quite light on it's own. Baths commenced all they have all perked up and been preening.

The Silkie Bantam has been the most lethargic, falling over and just not acting right. While she was getting her bath she poo'ed for me. turns out chick pooing in the bath seems to be a good thing. I could be sure it came from her and the water really helped me to see that it's not normal.

I think she has coccidiosis. From the very few pictures that I could find and the descriptions, that's what I'm guessing. I hope my pics can help someone confirm that my 'free' chick is sick.

This first pic you can just barely see the stringiness-

The second shows it quite a bit better:

If that is indeed what she has should I quarantine her away from the others to treat or just treat them all? She was in a different brooder at the store, but they've been together for 12 hours now. I've all ready added ACV to their water. And will get other probiotics while in town today.

Thanks for your help.

Oh - here's their cleaned up pics - now That's why I couldn't leave them at the store!

 

[JennsPeeps]

Are they on medicated feed? That may address it if not.

Some people on BYC have found that recent strains of cocci are not responding to the medicated feed. In these cases Corid is required. It would be best (and easiest) to treat all of the babies. It's a simple treatment: liquid medication goes into the water for a few days.

I lost a bird in March to cocci+roundworms (I've since found out that these two often co-exist). I'd treat the little critters to be sure.

 

[Judy]

A light is used on young chicks for heat, not light. It needs to be 80-85 in there, then reduce 5 degrees per week.

The poo may be normal. Here is a great source for info and pics on the wide variation in normal poo:

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

There are several reasons these chicks are feeling stressed, and this will do things to poo. I don't think I'd assume they have cocci just yet.

I'd suggest you go to index then FAQ and read up a bit on chick care. You might want to consider medicated feed (medicated with amprolium, not an antibiotic) as it controls cocci and lets them build up their own immunity to it.

 

[WalkingWolf]

That does not look like cocci, that is the normal sloughing off of intestinal lining every 10 or so droppings. There is a thread here somewhere with a link to pictures of healthy droppings. You will find a pic similar to yours there.

 

[RuffTuffCreampuff]

I can't really tell from the pics, but the poo on the left looks like small worms. Try looking at it under a maginfiying glass or even better yet if you have a microscope...see if it looks more like worms, than stringy poo.

Pam

 

[Rockpile99]

Thank you.

I realize that a 'light' is a heat lamp used for heat and not light. Sorry my implication was that they may have been a bit chilled and thus all huddled together this morning and not up and moving around like I would have expected.

I don't think that long red 'strings' in poop is normal under any circumstances, thus my concern, so I did search, in the vast information found here, for worms, which is what I originally thought, and that led me to cocci. I think they are a bit young only two weeks to be showing signs of this, but the conditions at the feed store were, shall we say, much less than ideal?

ETA:

Both of the poos came from the same bird at the same time, ok well, to be specific, normal poo first followed by the stringy stuff. the sloughing does sound like what it kind of looks like. The portions that are not the red strings resemble what I would imagine intestinal cells to look like.

I will check out that other link.

Thank you.

 

[RuffTuffCreampuff]

While your in town, see if you can find some D.E(Ditomatous Earth...sp?)....it's great for worms and coccidi. Feed store should have it, or try the Pharmacy area in your local mega mart, or health food store. Just be sure and get food grade.

Pam

 

[Rockpile99]

Quote:
Great link! That's what I was looking for and yup, it just like the one they showed for intestinal sloughing.

Whew what a relief!

Thank you all for the quick replies and advice.

Off to find some DE...

 

[WalkingWolf]

If you think it is worms then treat for worms, but birds of any type get stressed very easy and can stop eating, usually runny poo is also a symptom of stress. If they are not eating they will get lethargic. I always give my chicks a small amount of ACV in their water. I also have a mix I keep in the fridge for new chicks or chicks that get stressed. It consists of yogurt, ACV, avian vitamins, chicken broth, and a couple eggs to keep the mixture suspended and extra protein. I mix it in a blender then store in a 2 liter soda bottle. The proportions of vitamins and ACV are for 8 gallons of water. So each gallon would be 1 cup of the mixture. You could also had ceyenne pepper to the mix for worming, but new chicks usually do not tend to have worms.

I will try to find the pics of droppings again, the ones that they listed as intestinal sloughing were stringy looking. Forgive me I did not see Dawn posted the link. Thank the lord for it, cause I freaked too when I noticed those droppings the first time.

 

[OrpingtonHopeful]

Here's the link to the poop page. I saved it to my favorites, lol.

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0