Normal, Cocci, Shed intestinal Lining? Help!

[BacktoBasics13]

Newbie to chicks, first 10. Looked over the poop chart on here still not sure. So the past few days I've been seeing poops with what appears to have blood in it.

Took sample to avian vet despite it being an hour okd and in ziploc bag they said it wasnt fresh enough but did not appear to be blood.

Well today found more so I decided to smoosh it in my hand. Not so red, but orange. Is this normal? Is it intestinal lining? Still chance of cocci?

Some have said something theyre eating? Theyre on organic non-gmo chick starter/grower crumble thats yellow in color with pieces of black (grit) and broken corn, nothing oranage but who knows how the digestive tract works it out.

I have confirmed at least one of the birds its coming from and her and the others are eating drinking and acting normal.

Thank you in advance for any insight!

 

[BacktoBasics13]

More today, this one looks a bit more red to me.

 

[Eggstatic1727]

I'm a newbie as well, have had 14 baby chicks almost 3 weeks now and last Sunday night noticed some pine shaving with lightly colored red blood. I did a lot of research on cocci and decided not to take any chances. Even though they all acted normal, still eating and drinking, running around the same. I had them on the liquid corid by Monday morning.
It's a nasty parasite and can do a lot of harm, even if you catch it in time it can still stunt their growth and cause serious damage to their digestive system. I've read it's also extremely painful for the poor guys.

 

[lazy gardener]

Cocci are normal flora in a chicken gut. When Mama broody takes her chicks out into the chicken yard, some of the first things they snack on are CHICKEN POO! That poo is full of beneficial bacteria and fungi, as well as some of the pathogens that the flock has been exposed to. Cocci protozoa are included in every dose of chicken poo snack. This is how the chick builds her gut flora for healthy digestion and healthy immune system.

Yes, you can put your birds on medicated feed. The medication in that is Amprolium is a thiamine blocker. The Cocci organism needs thiamine to replicate. Or you can put them on Corid. But, I find myself wondering how it's possible for chicks who have been indoors in a nice dry brooder, and have not even had exposure to cocci in the soil can have coccidiosis. It usually shows up in chicks that have been kept inside, on medicated feed. Then they reach the recommended age to "put them outside". At about that same time, they are transitioned off medicated feed. Along comes a rain storm, with wet soil, and the cocci population in the soil explodes, resulting in chicks with coccidiosis because they have not had opportunity to develop immunity to it in their indoor brooder.

I have never used medicated feed. My chicks are exposed to cocci within their first 2 weeks by giving them a plug of sod from my yard. The first 2 weeks of a chicks life are when she has the most antibodies received from her mother. It is the perfect window of opportunity to build the chick's immune system and populate her gut with beneficial organisms.

Birds will occasionally shed intestinal lining. The photos shown above are of well formed poo, which a bit of red in them. As long as the birds are acting well, I'd not be rushing to put them on medication.

I am not telling the reader to NOT use medicated feed. I am not telling the reader to NOT treat for coccidiosis IF her chicks ARE acting sick. What I am doing is suggesting that there are alternatives to reaching for medication... "just to be on the safe side!"

 

[BacktoBasics13]

I hear you completely. My situation is I got 8 birds from my local hatchery on 4/13, one buff orp died easter sunday, leaving her buff sister alone so I wanted more buffs. Found a local lady on craigs who is npip neg cert and nys inspected. Got 3 that day from her.

Newbie mistake plopped them in with the others. The three I got from her were about a week and a half older than my others.( she had alot of birds young and old. Her newbies come from meyer hatchery) my biggest concern was them getting along which they did wonderfully.

I can't say 100% but they were on paper towels until I believe this past Saturday or Sunday and went to switch them over to pine shavings and that's when I feel like I started seeing this.

Today I had enough and got an appt to see a local avian vet to examine and do fecal float.

Said birds looked healthy and are acting very fine. The fecal float test confirmed some cocci in there and prescribed a sulfa. (3 days on 2 off 3 back on)

I guess my cocnerns are has permanenet damage been done to the one Buff I can confirm has had the poo's (older buff of the 3 puchased).or any of the others? I just read so much information everywhere and not sure what to go by.

I use the heating pad method for heat. The paper towels were changed daily until they went to pine.

 

[BacktoBasics13]

Cocci are normal flora in a chicken gut.  When Mama broody takes her chicks out into the chicken yard, some of the first things they snack on are CHICKEN POO!  That poo is full of beneficial bacteria and fungi, as well as some of the pathogens that the flock has been exposed to.  Cocci protozoa are included in every dose of chicken poo snack.  This is how the chick builds her gut flora for healthy digestion and healthy immune system.  

Yes, you can put your birds on medicated feed.   The medication in that is Amprolium  is a thiamine blocker.  The Cocci organism needs thiamine to replicate.  Or you can put them on Corid.  But, I find myself wondering how it's possible for chicks who have been indoors in a nice dry brooder, and have not even had exposure to cocci in the soil can have coccidiosis.  It usually shows up in chicks that have been kept inside, on medicated feed.  Then they reach the recommended age to "put them outside".  At about that same time, they are transitioned off medicated feed.  Along comes a rain storm, with wet soil, and the cocci population in the soil explodes, resulting in chicks with coccidiosis because they have not had opportunity to develop immunity to it in their indoor brooder.  

I have never used medicated feed.  My chicks are exposed to cocci within their first 2 weeks by giving them a plug of sod from my yard.  The first 2 weeks of a chicks life are when she has the most antibodies received from her mother.  It is the perfect window of opportunity to build the chick's immune system and populate her gut with beneficial organisms.  

Birds will occasionally shed intestinal lining.  The photos shown above are of well formed poo, which a bit of red in them.  As long as the birds are acting well, I'd not be rushing to put them on medication.  

I am not telling the reader to NOT use medicated feed.  I am not telling the reader to NOT treat for coccidiosis IF her chicks ARE acting sick.  What I am doing is suggesting that there are alternatives to reaching for medication... "just to be on the safe side!"  

i hit the wrong button to quote you back, hopefully you still see it. Ill quote you now.

 

[BacktoBasics13]

Albon is the drug i believe? Not home with the bottle. Is that a sulfa?

 

[lazy gardener]

I can't help you regarding medications as I've never had to use any.

 

[quickchicken]

Those poops are fine! If it's cocci the poo will be darker red and more liquid than solid. To be safe, I would pick up Corid. Sulfa does NOT treat all nine types of cocci that can affect chickens, just two. Corid takes five to seven days to run its course. You can find it at Rural King with the horse or cow medication. Buy the liquid, yes it is pricey but one bottle should last literally forever and dosage is much easier. The liquid (9.6% solution) can be administered at 9.5 cc or ml a gallon. Offer this as their only water for the five days. Just had cocci in two bantam cockerels and Corid turned them around in two days. Something else I would advise is feeding oregano to them, either a healthy pinch in their feeder or offered free choice. Oregano fights all kinds of poultry disease including cocci. Like I said, your poo looks like normal shedding of intestinal lining, no big deal. If you are concerned, go ahead and pick up Corid. It will put to rest your uncertainty and you will already have it on hand in case of a cocci emergency. Cocci kills very fast, if you notice any chickens sitting off by themselves puffed up, or not eating/drinking normally, pale combs or waddles, then get Corid in them stat. Hope this helped and good luck with your babies!!

 

[casportpony]

Albon is the drug i believe? Not home with the bottle. Is that a sulfa?

Albon is one of the better sulfa drugs.