Is this Coccidiosis? Lethargic and thirsty Belgian d'Uccle

[LittleBirb]

My Belgian d'Uccle, Chewy, has started exhibiting different behavior. On the weekend, she developed diarrhea, which she has had before, but this time seems more persistent. Her poops alternate between watery and full of discharge, very runny, and sort of well formed (see photos).

She still wants to come outside with me, but she seems lethargic and slow; not her usual pace. She is drinking excessively, and much less into treats and food. I see her next to the water all the time, taking large gulps. Her stance is also somewhat changed, with her haunches held higher than normal. She is less vocal than her usual chatty self.

At first, I thought some of these might be symptoms of stress and loneliness because all her flockmates are currently broody and she's alone all day (until I stop by and I pull them off their nests for a few minutes). She did seem to be in distress from this, walking back and forth from the coop all day calling out for someone. Could this stress have triggered her illness? A few weeks before this, she had black dots on her comb (fowl pox?) but those have healed almost completely.

I have Amprolium 9.6% solution handy (from a previous scare, which turned out to be false alert), so I started mixing it into the water today at 2 teaspoons per gallon. I omitted the vitamins and minerals I typically add because I read that it's counter-productive.

Is there any harm in continuing this treatment if this is not her ailment? What about the other hens, who are not currently experiencing this symptoms?

Chewy has not been vaccinated for Coccidiosis, only Marek's. She never ate medicated feed before. She is about 10 months old.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Doesn’t look like it to me. Are you providing fresh water in addition to the vitamin water?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

You can’t vaccinate for cocci because it’s bacteria. All chickens have it in their gut and infection is just an overload of it. It won’t hurt to treat her for it but her symptoms sound like something else is going on. When’s the last time she laid an egg?

 

[LittleBirb]

Doesn’t look like it to me. Are you providing fresh water in addition to the vitamin water?

Sometimes, although not always. They have a nipple drinker with plain water, but they seem to prefer the fountains, which have the vitamins and minerals mixture.

Yesterday she was drinking water off of leaves outside and from a garden pot that had overfilled with rain. Does this indicate a desire to have water without vitamins? Or just another sign of excessive thirst?

 

[LittleBirb]

You can’t vaccinate for cocci because it’s bacteria. All chickens have it in their gut and infection is just an overload of it. It won’t hurt to treat her for it but her symptoms sound like something else is going on. When’s the last time she laid an egg?

Ah okay. She did lay yesterday morning. I tried to feel her body for a stuck egg but frankly I just don't know what I'm doing with physical exams. Her crop was very soft and watery (I guess not a surprise considering how much she's been drinking).

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I’m not sure. I would definitely skip the vitamins for a while and see if she improves. I’m not a chicken disease expert although I’ve had some cocci issues. I only put vitamins in their water if there is a specific reason to—like illness or excessive heat—but even then they get plain as well.

 

[LittleBirb]

I’m not sure. I would definitely skip the vitamins for a while and see if she improves. I’m not a chicken disease expert although I’ve had some cocci issues. I only put vitamins in their water if there is a specific reason to—like illness or excessive heat—but even then they get plain as well.

I've been giving them vitamins since they were chicks. I figured it wouldn't be a problem for adults but if that's not recommended I will switch to regular water for a bit and see if there's improvement. Thanks for your input!

 

[Eggcessive]

Vitamins are fine, but stop them while using Corid. Does she normally lay eggs, and how long since the last one? Her droppings look like some cecal poop, but also a lot of gelatinous clear fluid, that might possibly be egg white. How does her crop feel now and can you check it first thing in the morning to see if it has emptied? It should be empty in morning before eating or drinking. Crop problems may lead to drinking water, but could she be bullied from water or food by others? Is her lower belly under her vent enlarged at all? My mille fleur who lived to be 11, went broody often, and she eventually developed water belly from some reproductive problem.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I've been giving them vitamins since they were chicks. I figured it wouldn't be a problem for adults but if that's not recommended I will switch to regular water for a bit and see if there's improvement. Thanks for your input!

There are vitamins in their food too if you are feeding commercial feed. I don’t know if other people provide vitamin water constantly but I do know plain, fresh water should be available at all times.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would only use the vitamins while she is sick, but not when on Corid. Most chicks get vitamins from feed, and since most vitamins also contain electrolytes, giving those for more than a few days, can lead to diarrhea. There is a coccidiosis vaccine available at most hatcheries.