Coccidious...treating since Sunday, they are still dying... :(

Lost a chicken Jan 9th, the rest of the flock seemed fine. She was 4 years old so I wasn't sure why. Lost another one Sunday morning, so I got on BYC and read and read and read...figured it was Coccidious. So I went to Tractor Supply and bought COCCI, have been treating since Sunday. 1.5 tsp per gallon 20% solulable solution. I also mixed it into the water that I use to make their mash, I only make mash to feed them, no pellets. I fed a mix of mash, oatmeal and other cereals the kids have left the ends of, plus breads, veggies, fruits are thown on top. At night they get scratch to fill tummy's before the long night.

The one that died on Sunday I noticed on Saturday she was alone in corner, wouldn't come to me for scratch and treats and just seemed very sad, she let me pick her up and I held her for awhile. The next morning she was dead in the same spot, she never roosted.

Temps have been cold, but only 3 times have I turned on 1 heat lamp as it was -15 one night, -22 two other evenings. The light gets turned off at breakfast.

I noticed strong ammonia on Tuesday and we put fresh pine shavings down, they had spilled the water.

I open the pop door almost every day but there is 4+ feet of snow in our yard and they won't come out even if the main door is open wide....they just basically seems to scream at me looking out -- I find it funny.

My coops is 8 x 10, I have 21 hens....3 Leg Horn, 3 Golden Wyandotte, 1 Unknown (small hen) 1 Barred Rock, (now) 8 Red Sex Link, 5 Road Island Reds.

Please let me know what I am doing wrong.

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You mean you bought Corid, not Cocci.
Corid is amprolium, cocci is the protozoa.

It's possible they had coccidiosis but not likely at 4 years of age they should have been exposed and resistant to any strain on your property.
What symptoms made you think it was coccidia?

Most likely you need more ventilation. If you can smell ammonia, think about how strong the poison is down where the chickens live.
Don't worry about the cold, bad air kills chickens, not cold.
Get the wet bedding out and start fresh. Just dry on top won't remove the ammonia, just mask it for the time being.
Feces and wet bedding is a problem unless you have huge ventilation.

By mash, do you mean layer mash?
Are they actively laying eggs?
How many have died?
What state are you in?

Best plan is to get a real diagnosis rather than a guess.
Send the next one that dies off to your state poultry lab for a necropsy immediately.
Better yet, take your sickest bird there to be humanely euthanized and necropsied.
Treating for a guess is prolonging their misery.

I'd also cut out everything but chicken feed for a bit. They need the best complement of nutrients and that is in a balance chicken feed.

State vets


Labs listed by state


This is how I send one for necropsy:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/799747/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures

-Kathy

Good writeup from Kathy on preparing one for necropsy.

I'm lazy so I've just carried the sick bird to the state lab. It was over 5 hours round trip but a live fresh bird put out of her misery and rapid delivery and results was worth the trip to me.

ETA
In fact, that's a perfect packaging job.

ChickenCanoe said:

Good writeup from Kathy on preparing one for necropsy.

I'm lazy so I've just carried the sick bird to the state lab. It was over 5 hours round trip but a live fresh bird put out of her misery and rapid delivery and results was worth the trip to me.

Click to expand...

If any of the labs were closer to me that's what I would do... drive one there!

-Kathy

lol, yes Corid. I'm at work... Only the Red Sex links are 4 years, the rest are first year hens. I came to the conclusion after reading posts on BYC, bloody poo and hungry thirsty chickens prior to the first one dying. I honestly thought it was because they were cooped up all day because of the snow so they were eating and drinking a lot. But, these last couple days, they are back down to the normal amount of mash and water so I thought we were on the mend.

By mash, do you mean layer mash? yes, layer mash, I mix with water and "ferment" it for three days before feeding it to them.
Are they actively laying eggs? 14-18 eggs per day...still.
How many have died? 3, 2 of the Red Sex Links and today a Road Island Red
What state are you in? NY, upstate...as far north as you can get, we're 20 min from Canada.

I will clean out the entire coop tomorrow and start over. Really thought I had the deep litter going well. That is going to be quite the chore, especially in the cold. But my girls are worth it!

Thanks for your suggestions, I'll let you know how it goes.

NEW YORK
Name: Dr. David Smith
Title: State Veterinarian and
Director, Division of Animal Industry
Agency: Division of Animal Industry
Department: New York State Department of Agriculture and
Markets
Office Address: 10 B Airline Drive
Albany, NY 12235
Office Telephone No: (518) 457-3502
Fax No: (518) 485-7773
E-mail : [email protected]

37 New York Animal Health Diagnostic Center
240 Farrier Road
College of Vet Med, Cornell University
Ithaca, New York 14853
Phone: 607-253-4271

38 New York NVSL - Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab
40550 Rt. 25
Orient Point, New York 11957
Phone: 631-323-3113 Fax 631-323-3366

If you can spread straw on the snow, that will get them outdoors. You may have had the DL thing going until they were in there pooping all day and night.

Is a puffy/hunched up? chicken a sign of cocci?