1 week old chick cocci?

[birdlady79]

Hi, I have 4 chicks together. 2 are 1 wk 2 are 3 wk. they get along fine.... My 1 wk old Welsummer has always acted a little reserved... She eats and drinks, she eats out of my hand too... She has runny poo though... I have been doing ACV Braggs in water and feeding medicated food plus save a chick some... It's not bloody it's just a milk chocolate color..... The power went out here the other day and I had to keep them warm using a hot water bottle, hot hands and blankets.... She seemed to be affected the most... Could it be that she got cold and just has diaharra ? All the others seem fine, poop seems fine.... If she had cocci would she still be alive? I'm just wondering if I should start Corid just in case... I'm trying to raise them as natural as possible,.. Thx

 

[Eggcessive]

Corid (amprollium) is a thiamine blocker (of coccidia) and is not an antibiotic. Even "natural" chicken people use it because coccidiosis can take out your whole flock. By the time they show symptoms they quit eating and drinking. It won't hurt to do a 5 day treatment because youger chicks can get exposed to it by older chicks. Corid liquid dosage is 2 tsp per gallon of water, and the powder Corid is 1.5 tsp per gallon. After completing a 5 day treatment give poultry vitamins and probiotics for a week. Then I would recommend waiting 3 weeks and giving 1/3 the dose as a 5 day preventative treatment since your chicks are young. Usually around 11 weeks to 20 weeks they have developed immunity to the local yard strains of cocci.

 

[birdlady79]

Thank you, I've kinda thought from day 1 she was a little off compared to my others.... I think I will do the Corid as a safe measure... Then I will get vitamins and probiotics too...

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are a couple of articles that you may like to read on coccidiosis:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/12/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/coccidiosis-how-to-treat-it

 

[birdlady79]

Thank you.... Have you had to deal with Cocci? If so did your's still eat?

 

[Eggcessive]

Thank you.... Have you had to deal with Cocci? If so did your's still eat?

I have been fortunate to not have had cocci so far. What happens when they get cocci, they will slow down eating first because their bellies are hurting, then later they stop drinking, and this is where you have trouble getting the Corid into them. That's why waiting is dangerous.

 

[birdlady79]

I did corid for 5 days. Now doing probiotics... I'm feeding regular starter and they seem to be doing great on it.... Should I switch back to medicated? Or mix it? I really don't think it was cocci.... I pretty sure it's cecal... Or cecal plus internal damage ... It's sticky not runny but very dark in color... No blood... she has had a growth spurt so that's good and is a lot more active since I've been feeding the non medicated and yogurt, blueberries, oats, grit ec.