blood in poop - normal??

[speckledhen]

Coccidiosis is caused by ooccysts in the soil. When they overwhelm the gut, they cause bleeding and intestinal damage. One way to avoid some of that is to make sure they get exposure to soil from their first week of life, even if you just sprinkle it in the brooder. There is a cocci vaccination, but I've never vaccinated my chicks for anything. Even on medicated feed, they can still get cocci; it's really no big deal and easy to treat if caught early, but if not noticed, it can kill.

Chicks raised by a broody hen never seem to get cocci, probably because they ingest some of mom's poop and she is already immune, plus they get exposure much earlier than chicks raised indoors in a brooder.

 

[mcf3kids]

Interesting - I wonder if I introduced them to cocci by giving them earthworms - I thought it was good for them at the time and then read some more and only gave them worms for a few days. They have never been "on dirt" as our coop is brand new and we filled it with 9" deep of sand so I guess it would be good for me to give them a dose of Corrid to see if that helps. It appears to be about 4 hens out of the 22 that are afflicted.

 

[speckledhen]

I make a small dustbath in a shallow bowl for chicks in the brooder. They love it and it gives them exposure to the oocycts early on so they can develop their immunity.

Earthworms can carry a nematode that causes gapeworm so I'd avoid actually giving them many of those. If they find one occasionally on their own outside, that's fine, but just giving them earthworms may not be the best thing for small chicks.

 

[CC1892]

Quote:
Thanks for the link, ad photos Dawg53-great information.

 

[Chik whisper]

Great info, was just noticing this in my Cornish crosses and was concerned. Thanks for posting the link to the pix dawg53! Now I can sleep tonight.