Coccidiosis? Poop pics included!

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

These stools appear to have a blood/bloody substance in them. The stools are from my 1 month old chicks, which are integrated in to my flock of 25 mature chickens. I have 14 chicks, and found only 3 piles of poop w/ red in the morning, so I’m thinking it’s only 1 or 2 chicks.

No signs of illness in the chicks or adult birds. No sign of red anywhere on the entire poop board for the 25 adults.

Please excuse the cardboard- I cleaned the coop & brooder last night, but ran out of time to make a new hood for the feeder (which the babies roost above) so I tossed a piece of white cardboard over it, making these stools & the red color really stand out.

I probably won’t be able to get a fecal float done this week. I’m debating between treating with Corrid or taking a wait and see approach since it seems to only be 1 affected chick. I’d love a second opinion.

The flock was last treated with Safegard back in June and Corrid in August.

 

[MamaPoult]

My chicks have gotten cocci too at one point. Corrid is a miracle powder I just mixed the proper ratio with their water. It should say on the bag

 

[MamaPoult]

My chicks have gotten cocci too at one point. Corrid is a miracle powder I just mixed the proper ratio with their water. It should say on the bag

I just saw you treated them in august sorry you have to do it again.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

I just saw you treated them in august sorry you have to do it again.

Thanks. What a bummer.

 

[Eggcessive]

It certainly would not hurt to treat all chickens with Corid, since the chicks are part of the whole flock. Were these broody raised chicks still being protected by their mom? There is no egg withdrawal if the hens drink the treated water.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

It certainly would not hurt to treat all chickens with Corid, since the chicks are part of the whole flock. Were these broody raised chicks still being protected by their mom? There is no egg withdrawal if the hens drink the treated water.

Thanks. They were not broody raised. They spent their first 2-3 weeks in an indoor brooder. I usually start chicks on medicated feed, butthe store was out so I started them on a bag of non medicated feed until I got the medicated, then I did a transition (half/half) and then all medicated. After that they moved to the coop brooder, and transitioned from the medicated chick feed to flock raiser. They still have access to their brooder, but spend most of their time out in the coop/run. I realize they are closer to 6-8 weeks old. They hatched mid December.

I've followed this pattern with most of my chicks, but this is the first time I've seen coccidiosis (in chicks). I'm wondering if it's because I didn't start them on medicated feed.

 

[Eggcessive]

Medicated feed does not always prevent coccidiosis. I used with with first chicks but then stopped with my next chickens. Your pullets may or may not have it, but hard to know for sure. Chicks raised indoor are not exposed to dirt right away which has coccidia. I usually place a big piece of grass and sod in my brooders for chicks to peck at, to slowly expose them to coccidia organisms. I change it every 2-3 days as needed. When you have adult chickens they will have coccidia in their poops. It can be common for first chicks to not have it, and when the next group is raised, they may get it from the bedding or soil. A little exposure is okay, but when they get exposed to a lot, they may get coccidiosis before their immunity is underdeveloped and before they have built up a tolerance to coccidia organisms.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

Medicated feed does not always prevent coccidiosis. I used with with first chicks but then stopped with my next chickens.

Can I ask why you stopped using the medicated feed? I always go back and forth on which one I should use. I've heard different things about how long they need to be on it for it to be effective, too. I like to transition my chicks to flock raiser when I move them outside since they'll eventually share feeders with the big chickens, and it's just easiesr to deal with 1 type of feed.

Chicks raised indoor are not exposed to dirt right away which has coccidia. I usually place a big piece of grass and sod in my brooders for chicks to peck at, to slowly expose them to coccidia organisms. I change it every 2-3 days as needed.

This is a great idea and makes sense how this group was more succepitble. I'll do this with my next hatch if I can't get them outside. This is only my 2nd winter brood. All my other chicks have been warm weather babies so I felt comfortable taking them on brief "field trips" outside to play in the dirt starting at a few days old. This group didn't get field trips because it was just felt too cold, even for a couple minutes.

A little exposure is okay, but when they get exposed to a lot, they may get coccidiosis before their immunity is underdeveloped and before they have built up a tolerance to coccidia organisms.

This also makes sense, and again explains why this group may have been more succeptible. We had snow plus a cold snap that made ALL the chickens decide to stay in the coop. For about 3 days they were all crammed inside (they were remarkable patient with one another, lol) but it was a mess! The coop has since been cleaned, but absolutely for those 3 days my chickens were all exposed to more fecal matter than they ever ordinarily are.

I think I will go ahead and treat them this weekend. I can't seem to find any harm in it, even though I haven't seen any more bloody stools. Hubs is off work next week so he can easily help swap out the waterers. It's a pain for me to do it with long work days.

As always, thanks for sharing your insight and knowledge!

 

[Eggcessive]

Since the Corid water can get contaminated with fecal matter, it is best to change the water daily. Raise the waterers to shoulder height or place them on flat boards. It is really hard raising chicks in the coldest months because of snow and cold, and they cannot get out.