2 week old chicks dropping dead

[Tlove17]

Ok, so I got a bunch if chicks from a fellow, and right now I'm trying to save as many as I can. I got a mix of Rhodes, barred rock, americanas, delewares, and buffs. I have them in a nice sized brooder, temp holding around 88, medicated chick food and a few days ago introduced tetracycline into their water, to try and keep them healthy.

Mostly the barred rocks have been hit the hardest, with a few Americana. Some have shown respiratory illness signs, while others just pretty much fall over, and just slowly die.

I have been quarantining the sick chicks and cleaning out the pen pretty regularly now for a few days. I lost one out of the four chicks with the respiratory ilness, two are getting better and I hope the next one is working on it. However I've lost 10 chicks to sudden dead and i have 3 in quarantine, one I know has a serious problem, the other two I'm not sure, but are performing weakly.

I've also been giving the sick chicks pedealight, to help keep them hydrated as they don't seem to drink on their own, and I've been trying to feed them with a syring with dry cat food smushed into warm water as they don't eat either.

Also, I've had an above average problem with pasty butts, and was just informed that the Americana just brought in May have a lump/bruise on its stomach.

I really have no idea what's going on. Also, there have been no bloody poops, I've been checking just incase of coccidiosis.

 

[Tlove17]

Update*

I just looked at the Americana I quarantined, after cleaning off the paste, I looked at the stomach under the vent and noticed that it was black, and perhaps bigger than average. Still not sure, however it does not look well for this one.

 

[realsis]

Coccidosis can still be present with OUT having bloody poo. There are different strains of cocci, not all cause bloody poo. If they seem lethergic and sleepy and puffed up you might consider using corid. But you also mentioned they have a respiratory illness. Can you please describe their EXACT symptoms in detail and maybe we can help.

 

[ten chicks]

With Coccidiosis there is NOT always blood in poop,there are approx 11 strains and ONLY 2 have blood as a symptom,the other 9 DO NOT. You may be dealing with a cocci overload/outbreak.


Medicated feed does not prevent a coccidiosis overload/outbreak.

Cocci is a parasitic infection of the intestinal tract and is spread from bird to bird by droppings which get into feed/water via droppings. Cocci can be spread by wild birds,bringing new birds into flock(new birds contract from existing birds)your own hands/clothes/shoes/feed utensils,etc. Some symptoms of cocci are: runny/watery poop(may or may NOT contain blood,depends on which strain it is)fluffed feathers,lethargic,not eating/drinking,general look of unwell.

Purchase Corid(amprolium)dose for Corid 9.6% liquid is 2 tsp per gallon of water,dose for Corid 20% powder is 1-1.5 tsp per gallon of water. Treat ALL chicks for 5 days,DO NOT give vitamins during treatment as the interfere with the ability of coccidiostat to work,give vitamins after treatment is complete. Make sure medicated water is the only source of drinking water.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote: This hit me right away. NEVER give newly hatched chicks an antibiotic, "just in case". And did they come to you with respiratory illness? If so, don't allow them to continue. That stuff is usually a carrier disease and will stay in the flock. Antibiotics do not fix that and can't. Think herpes because that is what many of the respiratory diseases of chickens are.

I have never in my life given an antibiotic to a chick as a preventative. It doesn't really work. Never take chicks from anyone that show signs of illness, even if you have to walk away leaving money on the table. Cull any immediately that show respiratory illness. If they have it that young, they are probably coming to you as carriers.

As far as coccidiosis goes, agreed that medicated feed really does nothing to prevent coccidiosis. I no longer use it and treat as needed with Corid.

Nowadays,there are new mutated strains of cocci that can actually pass from the parent stock, unnamed strains, that must be attacked with double dosages of Corid.

Unless you take one for a necrosy to the state poultry lab, you won't know what you're dealing with for sure.

 

[ten chicks]

It is also possible for a secondary infection(respiratory) to develop,as their immune system has been compromised from a coccidiosis overload/outbreak.

 

[speckledhen]

It is also possible for a secondary infection(respiratory) to develop,as their immune system has been compromised from a coccidiosis overload/outbreak.

It is true that a secondary infection can be opportunistic, however, if that secondary infection is a contagious one, then you would treat it as if it was the primary infection and act accordingly, i.e., cull to keep immuno-compromised birds out of the flock.

The problem is that it's impossible to 100% accurately diagnose this on the web. It could be cocci, could be something else entirely, could be cocci plus something else.

 

[ten chicks]

Agree,very difficult to diagnose as the symptoms are very vague.

 

[Tlove17]

Ok, the ones that seem to have a respiratory problem (or so I beilieve) continually do a gasping motion with an outstretched neck, are pretty lethargic without putting too much of a fight, generally do not eat or drink, sneezing, and a slight discharge from nose on a few.

The ones that seem to just drop weak and die show usually have a pasted vent, runny droppings, and with this last one I noticed the darkened abdomen. This has been the majority of birds.

Also, should I discontinue the use of tetracycline? They told me at the feed store it was a good idea to use it for the chicks, but if I should discontinue its use I will.

 

[ten chicks]

Do you feed chicks anything other than chick feed,if yes they need grit to digest food.

Why did the feed store tell you to give your chicks tetracycline? Never a good idea to give any medication without knowing what the problem is.