Coccidiosis And How To Treat It
What Is Coccidiosis
Coccidiosis is a disease that poultry can get from a certain parasite, called a Coccidia. They are ingested through the mouth, where they thrive and reproduce in the intestinal tract, interfering with food digestion and nutrient absorption, and causing blood loss and dehydration. The coccidia lay eggs called oocysts in the intestinal tract, and when the chicken poops, it sends those oocysts with the poop. The chickens that eat around that oocyst-contaminated poop are likely to ingest these oocysts through the mouth, where the eggs will be carried down into the intestinal tract, where they will hatch. Coccidiosis spreads very quickly, and very easily, and in a matter of days, an entire flock can get infected. It can be fatal if not treated.
Symptoms of Coccidiosis
Symptoms of Coccidiosis can vary. For a mild case, the symptoms are weight loss, diarrhea, and pigmentation loss. For a more severe case, the symptoms would be weight loss, bloody diarrhea, pigmentation loss, and it may look drowsy. An infected bird may also stand, away from the rest of the flock, with it's feathers fluffed up, with bloody diarrhea below it's butt.
This is an adult bird with Coccidiosis.
Photo courtesy of Fishnet1971
These are baby chicks infected with Coccidiosis.
Photo courtesy of Fishnet1971 Photo courtesy of Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain
This is the bloody diarrhea that infected birds poop.
Photo courtesy of Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain Photo courtesy of Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain
Note the pale face of this Coccidiosis-infected chick.
Photo courtesy of Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain
A chick with Coccidiosis. Note the fluffed up, sleepy appearance.
Photo courtesy of Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain
How To Treat Coccidiosis
Treating Coccidiosis is an easy task. There are several natural ways to treat Coccidiosis, such as treating it with a milk flush. But the recommended way to treat the affected chick(en) is to use sulfa or amprolium drugs. You can also use Diatamaceous Earth in the food. I mix enough Diatamaceous Earth into the food to make it look somewhat white, and let the animal eat it at will.
These drugs are administered through the infected chicken's drinking water. If you treat a laying hen using sulfa drugs, you must not eat the eggs for 14 days.
How To Prevent Coccidiosis
Preventing Coccidiosis is much easier than treating it. To prevent Coccidiosis, rotate the water and pen location regularly. This does help! Changing the topsoil in the pen yearly also helps by removing any buildup of oocysts. This works because, if you have two pens, while the flock is in one pen, the other one can be treated for Coccidiosis.
Like this:
These illustrations are done by Chickenfan4life.
Preventing Coccidiosis in chicks is even easier. Use medicated chick starter and clean the brooder regularly. This helps to prevent Coccidiosis from striking your chicks.
Afterword
Coccidiosis can be a very stressful experience for first time chicken owners, but it is something that puts your role as a chicken mom/dad to the test!
What Is Coccidiosis
Coccidiosis is a disease that poultry can get from a certain parasite, called a Coccidia. They are ingested through the mouth, where they thrive and reproduce in the intestinal tract, interfering with food digestion and nutrient absorption, and causing blood loss and dehydration. The coccidia lay eggs called oocysts in the intestinal tract, and when the chicken poops, it sends those oocysts with the poop. The chickens that eat around that oocyst-contaminated poop are likely to ingest these oocysts through the mouth, where the eggs will be carried down into the intestinal tract, where they will hatch. Coccidiosis spreads very quickly, and very easily, and in a matter of days, an entire flock can get infected. It can be fatal if not treated.
Symptoms of Coccidiosis
Symptoms of Coccidiosis can vary. For a mild case, the symptoms are weight loss, diarrhea, and pigmentation loss. For a more severe case, the symptoms would be weight loss, bloody diarrhea, pigmentation loss, and it may look drowsy. An infected bird may also stand, away from the rest of the flock, with it's feathers fluffed up, with bloody diarrhea below it's butt.
This is an adult bird with Coccidiosis.
Photo courtesy of Fishnet1971
These are baby chicks infected with Coccidiosis.
Photo courtesy of Fishnet1971 Photo courtesy of Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain
This is the bloody diarrhea that infected birds poop.
Photo courtesy of Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain Photo courtesy of Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain
Note the pale face of this Coccidiosis-infected chick.
Photo courtesy of Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain
A chick with Coccidiosis. Note the fluffed up, sleepy appearance.
Photo courtesy of Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain
How To Treat Coccidiosis
Treating Coccidiosis is an easy task. There are several natural ways to treat Coccidiosis, such as treating it with a milk flush. But the recommended way to treat the affected chick(en) is to use sulfa or amprolium drugs. You can also use Diatamaceous Earth in the food. I mix enough Diatamaceous Earth into the food to make it look somewhat white, and let the animal eat it at will.
These drugs are administered through the infected chicken's drinking water. If you treat a laying hen using sulfa drugs, you must not eat the eggs for 14 days.
How To Prevent Coccidiosis
Preventing Coccidiosis is much easier than treating it. To prevent Coccidiosis, rotate the water and pen location regularly. This does help! Changing the topsoil in the pen yearly also helps by removing any buildup of oocysts. This works because, if you have two pens, while the flock is in one pen, the other one can be treated for Coccidiosis.
Like this:
These illustrations are done by Chickenfan4life.
Preventing Coccidiosis in chicks is even easier. Use medicated chick starter and clean the brooder regularly. This helps to prevent Coccidiosis from striking your chicks.
Afterword
Coccidiosis can be a very stressful experience for first time chicken owners, but it is something that puts your role as a chicken mom/dad to the test!
