Coccidiosis still a problem

[Smoky73]

Hey guys! Literally haven’t posted here in a few years!
Anyway I raise only silkies in a nice Cleary Barn, concrete floors etc.
But this year I bought layer chicks for some fresh eggs. Unfortunately, somehow, those birds ended up with Coccidiosis. Literally have NEVER had coccidiosis here, but we have had extremely wet weather all year, for my Colorado location, is very rare. I had to have tracked it in from outside on my shoes. The layer chick pen is the only pen affected. I have been fighting it, lost some, did treatment the wrong way with Amprolium powder (likely expired, but I digress) and didn’t change to fresh water and new meds each and every day like your supposed to so it didn’t help. Started treating with fresh Corid, every day 5 days. Birds got better, no more losses. Cleaned pen right after treatment done they have been done with treatment for a week and yesterday I have 2 more going down in me. I have started to retreat them and EE leaned the pen.
I know long story, BUT, my question is, even though they are being treated, aren’t they going to keep “shedding” the cocci into the pen and continue to reinfect themselves? Is there a disinfectant or something I can spray or clean their pen with to kill the oocysts that they are still shedding? I originally had 19 birds at 2 months old and down to 9, so I got hit pretty hard. The two that are not great are isolated in wire bottom cages currently. I’m just trying to break this cycle to get them better. I honestly tried to call my vet for input or suggestions but they literally told me they don’t treat chickens even though I told them I needed a recommendation for a disinfectant not bird help.

 

[coach723]

It's nearly impossible to eradicate the coccidia in the environment, it's just everywhere and the oocysts are really tough. When birds are exposed and recover they should have some resistance to what ever strain(s) they were exposed to and shouldn't get sick again unless exposed to a new strain or have their immune systems weakened by something else. Many birds will have some coccidia in their systems, but their immune systems handle it, it's when the numbers become too great that illness happens, and in chicks and birds that have never been exposed. Warm, wet conditons can cause what's called a coccidia bloom, where the oocysts become viable in really large numbers and outbreaks can happen. Coccidia are really resistant to most disinfectants, probably the most effective is a 10% ammonia solution. But if it's in your soil, then it's still going to be around. Even cockroaches and flies can carry the oocysts from place to place as they travel. Possibly the two that are sick now somehow didn't pick it up the first go round? I don't know. If you are not seeing results with the Corid then toltrazuril or a sulfa antibiotic are the next medications recommended, Corid is effective most of the time. I would give the Corid to the sick ones in an oral dose directly, as well as the medicated water. It helps get the medication levels up and working. Instructions for that dosing is here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/corid-oral-drench-instructions.1211991/
If needed you can get toltrazuril here:
https://www.allthingsbunnies.com/Toltrazuril-5-Suspension-for-Coccidiosis-p/med132.htm
And Sulfa here:
https://www.medi-vet.com/Bird-Sulfa-Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim-480mg-p/19328.htm
When raising chicks in a brooder or other 'clean' environment, I give them shallow pans of dirt from outside every day starting in the first few days of life, so they an scratch and peck and dustbathe in it. It exposes them naturally to all the microbes in the soil and lets their immune systems develop. The pans make it easy to dump, clean and replace with fresh soil. My outbreaks of coccidiosis have been massively reduced by doing that. I always have the meds on hand, just in case, so I can start treatment early if needed.

 

[Smoky73]

Thank you for your informative reply! I had cleaned and emptied most of the pens that those birds occupied when the outbreak started, cleaned the concrete with bleach water just because that’s what I use for bio security for my shoes. I have the majority of the birds left in one pen with little shavings currently and DE on ground just to absorb any moisture from dropping or whatever. Not saying it would help to kill cocci, but you know. My birds are strictly indoor building birds, but those layers were going to go outside when they were big enough in a pen with run. But my building had feed pans, but I am switching over to hanging feeders for sanitary purposes and will turn those pans into dust bins with dirt, wood ash and whatever else I need, so thank you for the suggestion.

 

[bebesdeivanka]

Hi, I was advised to deep clean the coop with quicklime and pour equal amount of water on it. The bubbles that appear are suppose to burn everything bad off.. parasites, funghi etc.. Once dry that should not affect the hens (during the cleaning of course you have to get them out).

It worked in most cases in my friends coops, maybe it's worth a try