3 month old chicks are dying fast

[stickman]

Wednesday morning I noticed most of my 3 month old chicks (about 15) we're acting lethargic. The day before they were acting normal. 8 hours later 4 were dead. 4 hours later 4 more died. I gave them fresh water with a dose of Corid they drank and went to roost. This morning 6 more we're dead. I freshened their water water and 8 hours later 10 more we're dead. I've gave them a second dose of Corid an hour ago. I'm down to 11 chicks. They are a little more active than yesterday but still sick. They are in a coop by themselves but my older hens and Roos free range and get pretty close to the sick birds. Should I be giving them Corid also. And how do I sanitize the coop if they make it or not.

 

[Kiki]

Corrid only treats cocci nothing else.

How is your weather?
Are they eating?
What does their poo look like?

 

[Eggcessive]

Make sure that your Corid mixture is 1 1/2 tsp of powder or 2 tsp of the liquid per gallon of water for 7 days. They have to drink enough of the fluid to get the proper dosage. Mixing a concentrate of 1 1/2 tsp of the powder to 2 tsp of water and give 2 drops orally twice a day, or use the cincentrated liquid. This will jump start them if they have not been drinking. Three week olds with bloody poops and being lethargic most likely have cocci. Clean up droppings and keep bedding clean and dry. When treatment ends, a few days of poultry vitamins and probiotics in the water can be helpful.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can stress also leave the youngsters open to infection? I noticed in 2 of my youngsters that recently move from indoors to outdoors suspicious looking poop. I have "Wazine-17" here. Is that equally good to use?
I'd like to treat all of the newly moved birds as is being suggested on this thread. Ideally though I'd not like to retreat the adults. Is the only way to accomplish that to separate them again?

Hi @yeye5
Can you post some photos of the poop?

Wazine-17 is a de-wormer (for roundworms only), it will not treat Coccidiosis. Symptoms of Cocci include lethargy, going off feed, diarrhea with mucous or blood and the birds have a fluffed up/disheveled appearance.

Corid (Amprolium) is a Coccidiostat that treats an overload of Cocci.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Don't freak out. All chickens have some level of Cocci. It's in the poop, the soil of your yard, garden, chicken run, etc. Baby chicks have it (your day olds on up). It's when there is an overload/overgrowth that it becomes a problem.

Medicated feed in the U.S. contains a "preventative" dose of usually Amprolium - which is the same as Corid. Amprolium is a Coccidostat that is a Thiamine (B1) blocker that helps inhibit the growth (overload) of Cocci until chicks can build an immunity. Medicated feed does not always prevent an outbreak. Certain conditions like wet bedding/soil can help promote growth. This is when you need to treat with Corid.

Chicks will consume small amount of poop and soil - this does contain Cocci. This will actually help them become accustomed to the oocysts that they will be encountering. This is one reason why on the medicated chick starter bag (tag) it usually reads to NOT clean out your brooder - this is because chicks need to be exposed to build resistance.

Adults can succumb to a Cocci overload as well - usually they either have been exposed to new ground where a different strain is introduced (or new chickens to new property), they have a compromised immune system or sometimes weather conditions can cause the oocysts to become more pronounced (hot humid rainy weather for a prolonged period of time).

There are 9strains that chickens can encounter. Only 1 or 2 strains produce bloody stools. Corid will treat all strains.

I won't tell you everything will be just fine, but it sounds like you are catching it early, so if you can treat them right away, then the outcome is usually positive. Some chicks and adult chickens can die from any overload.

Here is the dosage information if you need it:
Corid dosageis 1 1/2 teaspoons Corid powder per gallon or 2 teaspoons of 9.6% Corid liquid per gallon.
Give for 5-7 days - make sure this is the ONLY water available during that time period. Mix a fresh batch at least once a day.

After they finish treatment offer some poultry vitamins and probiotics/plain yogurt.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/coccidiosis/overview-of-coccidiosis-in-poultry

 

[stickman]

It rained Friday and has been hot80s since. They are eating but not like they normally do. They usually gorge themselves now they just pick around. They hang around the water drinking a lot. Poop is bloody.

 

[stickman]

I've raised chickens for about 16 years and never had them get sick. Of course I looked around on the internet and errything looked like cocci Not positive that's what it is but I wanted to try something so I started Corrid.

 

[yeye5]

First I'll say I am a novice.
But with such an emergency I hope any feedback can be helpful.
I had chicks a year and a half ago who seemed perfectly healthy then began excreting blood in their poop. I quickly ran the bunch on corrid. Within a couple of days the symptoms went away.
My biggest concern or question is regarding their reduced appetite and eating habits.
If they had felt ill, of course appetite would be poor.
In my situation--and it was only with approx 8 chicks I had gotten from an acquaintance--and the issue did resolve to no more blood in stool, and return to normal eating/drinking behavior.
And that was the entire ordeal.

Are these chicks hatched by your own hens? (If so and are being raised by the hens it might be suggested--I hope someone comes along with expertise!) Purchased? If so do you have confidence in the source from whom you purchased them? Is it a situation in which you can ask questions of the person/place you got the chicks (if not home hatched) and expect honest assessment and advice?

Please do keep us all updated on what happens! I am s very sorry you and your flock are experiencing this crisis!
How many more chicks "from that batch" are still with you? are they improving or declining? I hope and prays they are improving!

More than that I'm nowhere near qualified to say.

 

[stickman]

25 are 4-H chicks. I've had them since February. 5 are polish bantams 2 sea bright bantams and two Americana bantams. All same age all been together since day one.

 

[stickman]

Thank you. I just went and checked on the remaining chincks and most look a little better. I have three other coops with ducks in one large breed chickens in one and bantams in another. All adultsShould I put the Corrid in all there watering bowls too?