How should I expose my 2 week old chicks to cocci?

[GreenLove]

This is my first year raising my 25 chicks organically from the beginning. They are exactly 2 weeks old today and they are a mix of Brahmas. australorps, wyandottes, speckled sussex, Jersey giants and a Buckeye. They are NOT on medicated feed, but i did buy a bottle of Corid just in case. I live in a very cold and wet environment, so going outside for the next couple of weeks is out of the question for them. Should I bring in a piece of sod for them to peck at? I have been looking online for answers for hours now and my eyeballs hurt

. So can everyone PLEASE give me their opinion, or tell me what you have done in the past to raise chicks organically in this situation. Thank you in advance!

 

[Judy]

Putting a piece of your own sod in the brooder is exactly what many people do. It also gives them something fun to do. Here is a link from an experienced member telling how he uses Corid in small doses to prevent illness:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/879239/cocci-prevention#post_13364390

I don't know much about organic, but I do know Corid (amprolium) is not an antibiotic. It acts upon the cocci, not the chickens, by preventing thiamine uptake in the cocci.

 

[Vian]

nevermind, answered my own question.

 

[GreenLove]

What age do you put the sod in with them? If I chose to use the corid for preventative measures, when do you start that? The same day you put the sod in or a few days before?

 

[Judy]

I would do it young, before two weeks. In nature, they are exposed to cocci at day one or two, but they also gain some immunity immediately by eating a bit of mom's poop. I know, yuck, but true.

 

[GreenLove]

Thanks for the reply Judy. They are now older than 2 weeks, so I guess I missed the boat on that one.

 

[Judy]

No, you didn't miss the boat; I would go ahead and do it now. the thing is, cocci are in soil averywhere, and too many of them in the chick can gdt them very sick or even kill them. However, when a chick is exposed to an acceptable number of them (whatever that is,) he gradually develops an immunity to them. The soil is to begin that exposure, and the amprolium is to control their numbers so that they can stay healthy enough to develop an immunity. If you put them on soil at 6 weeks with no previous exposure, they might do fine, or the sudden load of cocci might kill them.

Here is a more detailed explanation of how all this works:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/792579/just-found-a-dead-chick/20#post_11436103

 

[GreenLove]

Thank you Judy. The links you mentioned above are very informative. I will go give them the dirt/sod right now. In the first link you mentioned, the poster said they used 1/2 tsp liquid corid per gallon of water for prevention. Is that correct? Should I start that today? If so, for what duration? Thanks again for your help.

 

[Judy]

Thank you Judy. The links you mentioned above are very informative. I will go give them the dirt/sod right now. In the first link you mentioned, the poster said they used 1/2 tsp liquid corid per gallon of water for prevention. Is that correct? Should I start that today? If so, for what duration? Thanks again for your help.

No, he said 1/2 tsp of the 20% powder, up to 2 tsp if the chicks start looking sick (lethargic, not eating or drinking well, sometimes sort of huddled up as if cold.) It sounds like he uses it up to 9 weeks. It's an essentially harmless substance, affecting only the cocci, so I wouldn't worry about overuse.