Chick poop abnormal (pictured), is this coccidiosis?

[casportpony]

Quote: Yes, or maybe even the dust. I don't know how it happens, just that it can.

-Kathy

 

[MountainGoat]

There are some other questions I'd be asking.

Such as,
1. where did you get the chicks?
2. are they on a medicated feed?
3. are they on or in a recently cleaned brooder?
4. are they on clean shavings or just paper towels?
5. have they eaten anything other than chick starter?
6. what type of waterer is being used and was it cleaned at the time of use?
7. are they drinking anything other than water? anything added to the water?
8. are they in a brooder near adult birds?

If it is cocci, I'd be interested in how they contacted it?

Mine must have come from me.

1. As hatching eggs from a trusted breeder that I've never had problems with before.
2. They are not on medicated feed. I've never had an issue before and wasn't comfortable with it. Obviously I might need to do a little more research.
3. I hatched these in an incubator that got sanitized by me and then sterilized in the sun both before storing for a year and immediately before use. The brooders are new and have been sanitized.
4. They've been on paper towels changed out extremely regularly by me. They're inside and we were planning to move to shavings at 1 week when they go to the brooder in the shed. (*Here is where I think the issue comes in: I've got grown birds, and although I wash my hands between flock and brooder and don't wear my outside shoes over to them, I could have carried it in on my person in all those cleanings.)
5. No.
6. The waterers are little mason jar waterers, which I hate. (I have nipple waterers in the outside brooder and coop.) They've been sanitized not just at first, but at least once a day since and changed out very frequently, but I still think they're a potential concern. I mean, no matter how many times I change it out, there's poop in them 5 minutes later.
7. Just tap water.
8. They're upstairs in my house right now, so as I mentioned above, the contamination would have been due to something I brought in. I thought I had been careful, but you never know I guess. One of the sources I read mentions carrying it on your pants, which I never thought about. And it being so muddy, I probably did get the bottoms of my pants muddy and maybe contaminated.


They all still look lively and growing fast, so hopefully I caught it in time.

 

[rancher hicks]

I was curious is all. I usually keep chicks on medicated feed for a while.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I was curious is all. I usually keep chicks on medicated feed for a while.

There was a breeder on here who said she had some new chicks get cocci in a bin inside the house. That is how I heard of that happening.

 

[MountainGoat]

I was curious is all. I usually keep chicks on medicated feed for a while.

Of course! And your questions were good ones, ones I've been looking hard at. It's disappointing to keep coming to the conclusion that it's from me tracking it in when I thought I'd been so careful. That was why I didn't use the medicated feed - I thought if they were from a good breeder, incubated, hatched, and brooded indoors for the early part, that I could avoid medicating.

Does anyone know if there merits to using the vaccine for day old chicks instead, either with hatchery chicks or home-hatched chicks, or is the medicated feed always the way to go? We'll be getting more chicks later this spring, and I'd like to try out one of those options.

I'm also looking at these little cup waterer things that work sort of like nipple waterers but have a gravity feed to put water in the cup. I worry that the newborns won't take to the nipple waterers, so I've never used them as the first source of water. I'd like to get rid of those mason jar bell waterer things though, and those seem just as intuitive for them to drink from but cleaner.

 

[casportpony]

I think the vaccine might only be good for two of the many strains they can get, but don't quote me on that.

-Kathy

 

[rancher hicks]

Of course! And your questions were good ones, ones I've been looking hard at. It's disappointing to keep coming to the conclusion that it's from me tracking it in when I thought I'd been so careful. That was why I didn't use the medicated feed - I thought if they were from a good breeder, incubated, hatched, and brooded indoors for the early part, that I could avoid medicating.

Does anyone know if there merits to using the vaccine for day old chicks instead, either with hatchery chicks or home-hatched chicks, or is the medicated feed always the way to go? We'll be getting more chicks later this spring, and I'd like to try out one of those options.

I'm also looking at these little cup waterer things that work sort of like nipple waterers but have a gravity feed to put water in the cup. I worry that the newborns won't take to the nipple waterers, so I've never used them as the first source of water. I'd like to get rid of those mason jar bell waterer things though, and those seem just as intuitive for them to drink from but cleaner.

I'm not sure about the vaccine. I thought to buy it for home use the expense was too much. I could be wrong.

I've always used the medicated feed for the first few weeks or so. Maybe use a couple of 50# bags and then switch to the non.

I can't say I've never lost chicks. Twice I've lost them due to those blankity blank lights burning out. I've also lost chicks that I've helped out and have skinny legs and feet. I just know they're not going to make it.

Chickens can get so many things and they can be hard to diagnose. I usually just try to give them a shot lately. In the past I culled any that got sick.

We can't be sure what they might carry in the newbies. The pros don't come on here and say they've had or got problems. They might very well be a good breeder but I've learned trouble comes to us all. Even them. You've got to understand a bad rep can destroy someone who sells lots of hatching eggs.

Anyhow, I use the medicated for the first few weeks or so. As for nipples they're pretty smart and I've had adults make the switch. Chicks too. I wonder if they're more sanitary than not. I don't think they get as big a drink as they'd like nor as much water. Chickens needs a lot of water to lay eggs. Chicken/Duck? Chicken eggs have more water.

Finally, keep in mind that wild birds can bring in disease too. I stopped with the bird feeder when I got chickens. A bird flying over head who drops a poop is not a healthy bird, my brother Dennis used to say.

So don't be to hard on yourselves. You most likely are NOT the cause of the illness.

I wish you well,

Rancher

 

[casportpony]

Water consumption is important for egg laying in *all* species of birds, not just chickens. Dehydration can cause egg binding in all birds.

-Kathy

 

[rancher hicks]

Water consumption is important for egg laying in *all* species of birds, not just chickens.

Dehydration can cause egg binding in all birds.

-Kathy

Did I say it water wasn't important for ALL birds. What is your problem?

 

[casportpony]

Quote: Was just trying to clarify how important water consumption was for all birds and was not trying to be nasty (see smiley face). Sorry you took it the wrong way.

According to my vet, dehydration is the leading cause of egg binding in all birds and that's all I was trying to say.

-Kathy