7 week old bantam suddenly no longer moving around; eyes closed during daylight.

[MenelausMontrose]

Hello all,
My bantam Rhode Island pullet has taken a sudden downward turn, and I would appreciate any advice.

On Wednesday this week she was acting slow and lethargic (although still moving around and eating). She had diarrhea. None of the other 10 pullets were behaving like that, but I went ahead and started dosing their water with liquid amprolium. I had also begun switching them from medicated chick starter to unmedicated, so I suspected coccid.

She improved the same day and was acting normally and energetically Thursday.

Last night we had a massive storm roll through here in NC and I discovered some water drainage issues in my run design. The pullets have stayed locked in the coop. I did not notice any issues with her today this morning or at noon, but I could have missed something due to my focus on the issues with the run.

This evening she is extremely lethargic. She stands or sits with her eyes closed and barely fights us if we use an eye dropper to giver her fluids. Relevant details below.

1) She is a bantam Rhode Island hen. 7 weeks and 2 days old. As of 7/8 she weighed 300 grams, and appears to be about the same size as her two comparable siblings who haven't had any health issues. She hasn't either, up until now.
2) The bird is extremely lethargic and is sitting or standing with her eyes closed during the daylight, while the rest of the flock is active.
3) I've only noticed these symptoms two hours ago when I got off work.
4) None of the other birds are exhibiting symptoms.
5) There are no signs of trauma.
6) I threw a snail and some daddy-long-legs in the coop on Tuesday. Not sure if she got any of them. On Wednesday they went into the run for the first time.
7) She's been drinking amprolium laced water (1/2 teaspoon per quart; 3/8ths today) as her only water supply. Food consists of non-medicated chick crumbles, and freeze dried mealworms, plus what she finds in the run.
8) Her most recent poop is very liquid, and colored white and yellow. Photo attached. There is no blood.
9) She's been getting amprolium in her water. I just mixed a couple drops of amprolium with a teaspoon of molasses, a couple tablespoons of water, and a dusting of Sav-A-Chick electrolytes and gave her a couple squirts (5-6 drops?) with an eyedropper.

10 ) I intend to treat her myself.

11) Photo attached of the chicken.

12) Coop is raised and measures 5'x5', with a 5'x10' run underneath. Bedding is hemp. Coop is very well ventilated; photo attached.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you give her undiluted Corid 1/4 tsp now and again in the am? Then dip her beak in treated water every hour or so. Repeat the undiluted Corid once or twice a day.

 

[MenelausMontrose]

Thank you. Unfortunately she just passed. After doing more reading I think it probably was coccid based on the yellow poop, so the undiluted Corid would have been the way to go.

 

[MenelausMontrose]

I'll continue dosing the water for the other pullets. The bedding in the coop is only a week old, but would removing and replacing it make a difference?

With the run being wet right now, and coccid spreading in damp environments, is it better to keep them in a smaller dry environment, or let them out into the larger, damper run to spread out? These are my first chickens so the run shouldn't be loaded with coccid, but I don't know.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry about your pullet.

I'd just stir the coop bedding around.

I would let the others in the run, they do need exposure to whatever is in their environment to build resistance.
Continue giving them all the mixed Corid water as the only source of drinking water for the duration of 5-7 days.

Liquid Corid dose is 2tsp or Powdered Corid Dose is 1 1/2tsp per gallon of water given for 5-7 days as the only source of drinking water.
Do not add any extra vitamins/electrolytes that contain B1(Thiamine) to food or water during the course of treatment.

 

[MenelausMontrose]

Thank you for the advice. I've let them into the run and will continue treating the water as advised. Is there any significant difference between Corid and Amprol? I have liquid Amprol supplied by Cackle Hatchery.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for the advice. I've let them into the run and will continue treating the water as advised. Is there any significant difference between Corid and Amprol? I have liquid Amprol supplied by Cackle Hatchery.

No, there's no difference in the active ingredient which is Amprolium. Just follow the package directions for poultry on the Amprol.
Corid is labeled for cattle, so directions/dosing is a bit different.

 

[Leatherworker]

Hello all,
My bantam Rhode Island pullet has taken a sudden downward turn, and I would appreciate any advice.

On Wednesday this week she was acting slow and lethargic (although still moving around and eating). She had diarrhea. None of the other 10 pullets were behaving like that, but I went ahead and started dosing their water with liquid amprolium. I had also begun switching them from medicated chick starter to unmedicated, so I suspected coccid.

She improved the same day and was acting normally and energetically Thursday.

Last night we had a massive storm roll through here in NC and I discovered some water drainage issues in my run design. The pullets have stayed locked in the coop. I did not notice any issues with her today this morning or at noon, but I could have missed something due to my focus on the issues with the run.

This evening she is extremely lethargic. She stands or sits with her eyes closed and barely fights us if we use an eye dropper to giver her fluids. Relevant details below.

1) She is a bantam Rhode Island hen. 7 weeks and 2 days old. As of 7/8 she weighed 300 grams, and appears to be about the same size as her two comparable siblings who haven't had any health issues. She hasn't either, up until now.
2) The bird is extremely lethargic and is sitting or standing with her eyes closed during the daylight, while the rest of the flock is active.
3) I've only noticed these symptoms two hours ago when I got off work.
4) None of the other birds are exhibiting symptoms.
5) There are no signs of trauma.
6) I threw a snail and some daddy-long-legs in the coop on Tuesday. Not sure if she got any of them. On Wednesday they went into the run for the first time.
7) She's been drinking amprolium laced water (1/2 teaspoon per quart; 3/8ths today) as her only water supply. Food consists of non-medicated chick crumbles, and freeze dried mealworms, plus what she finds in the run.
8) Her most recent poop is very liquid, and colored white and yellow. Photo attached. There is no blood.
9) She's been getting amprolium in her water. I just mixed a couple drops of amprolium with a teaspoon of molasses, a couple tablespoons of water, and a dusting of Sav-A-Chick electrolytes and gave her a couple squirts (5-6 drops?) with an eyedropper.

10 ) I intend to treat her myself.

11) Photo attached of the chicken.

12) Coop is raised and measures 5'x5', with a 5'x10' run underneath. Bedding is hemp. Coop is very well ventilated; photo attached.

The advise you were given is very good. The only thing for me would be to change the bedding completely. I would be afraid the others would get it. It is catching.

 

[MenelausMontrose]

Thanks for the advice everyone. The rest of the flock are now off amprolium and are doing great.

Wish I knew how the one girl got taken out so fast, but I'm guessing she just got too big of a load of the protozoa.

Will continue to keep a close eye on the rest of them.

 

[Eggcessive]

I am just reading that you lost your chicken, sorry. Good advice from Wyorp Rock.