7 week old sick pullets???

[ABeautifulLife]

Hello all, and thanks in advance for the help!

I live in central Florida and in February we recieved 22 chicks from McMurray Hatchery that were supposedly vaccinated for Marek's and Cocci... these pullets are 7 weeks old and have been living outside in their coop for 2 weeks and are doing fine. There are 3 young ducks in with them. 2 nights ago the temps dropped at night to 45 and it was a bit breezy and we did not take them in. The following morning I noticed 2 of my girls acting weird. They were puffed up, lethargic and were standing off by themselves in their yard doing nothing but standing there. We didnt think much of it and the following night it got down to 49 but not windy at all. Its been warm during the day and last night it wasnt chilly at all. We pulled them inside and let them sleep under the heat lamp and they still didnt seem themselves. The 1 speckled sussex is drinking more than the cochin and seems more alert, but none are eating. The cochin is the smallest of the flock and keeps trying to sleep wherever she is, but chirps quietly (not raspy). Their poop last night was a bit runny and was hinted with red almost like they were shedding intestinal lining. They don't have pasty butt and are now back in with the flock. I've never had a chick with Cocci so I don't know what I'm looking for. Also we paid extra for the hatchery to vaccinate them so I wouldn't want to give them medicated feed to nullify the vaccination. If anyone has experienced this or could give some insight on whats going on it would be much appreciated! I don't want to lose these two girls!

Rachel

 

[rir264]

Racheal, I live here in plant city and have struggled with this same problem. I do not know what it is and it will really be up to your chickens immune system. I have lost several off birds with this unknown disease. I just work a chicken through it successfully, finally. I started a tetracycline and vitamin water starting a little larger dose than on the package then working it down, run for at least five days. I gave as and vegetables and fruits that help with the immune system, give them some yogurt that will help repair the digestive tract. I sat with her as much as possbile, however some birds will not come through this and they will die so please prepare yourself and understand that you can only do so much. Also do not use well water for your birds use either bottled or reverse osmosis water. Good luck I hope it turns out ok for you.

 

[ABeautifulLife]

Thanks for the reply Elena! I'm going to go separate them and mix them up some water with tetracycline. Lets keep our fingers crossed my ladies pull through!

 

[rir264]

You will need to put the tetracycline water through all the birds too because they were exposed to the sick one as a precaution. It is best to separate the sick one this way they do not get picked on by the others. It is not a bad idea to worm them as well to try to cover all bases!

 

[ten chicks]

It could be coccidiosis,not all vaccines cover all strains of cocci or your girls may not have had the cocci vaccine. Some symptoms of coccidiosis are: runny/watery poop(may or may not contain blood,depends on which strain it is)fluffed feathers,lethargic,not eating/drinking.

Coccidiosis is a parasitic infection of the intestinal tract and is spread by droppings which get into feed/water via droppings,but is also spread by wild birds/bringing new birds into flock,your own hands/clothes/shoes/etc. Chickens are only immune to the strains they have had prior exposure to.

If symptoms match,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 water. Treat ALL chickens for 5 days,do not give vitamins during treatment as they interfere with the ability of coccidiostat to work,give vitamins after treatment is complete. Make sure medicated water is the only source if drinking water.

 

[ABeautifulLife]

The symptoms match for these 2 birds but the other 20 are fine.. AND I paid for them to be vaccinated for Cocci... would giving them corid affect them because of the vaccination? if its not cocci would giving them this affect them negatively?

thanks for the replies

 

[ten chicks]

The symptoms match for these 2 birds but the other 20 are fine.. AND I paid for them to be vaccinated for Cocci... would giving them corid affect them because of the vaccination? if its not cocci would giving them this affect them negatively?

thanks for the replies

In this case treat just the two that are showing symptoms,but watch all the others. There are approx 11 strains of coccidiosis and i believe the most any vaccine covers is 8,so anything is possible. Amprolium is just a thiamine blocker,coccidia parasite needs thiamine to survive/reproduce,amprolium works by blocking thiamine intake so parasite comes under control.

 

[casportpony]

Hello all, and thanks in advance for the help!

I live in central Florida and in February we recieved 22 chicks from McMurray Hatchery that were supposedly vaccinated for Marek's and Cocci... these pullets are 7 weeks old and have been living outside in their coop for 2 weeks and are doing fine. There are 3 young ducks in with them. 2 nights ago the temps dropped at night to 45 and it was a bit breezy and we did not take them in. The following morning I noticed 2 of my girls acting weird. They were puffed up, lethargic and were standing off by themselves in their yard doing nothing but standing there. We didnt think much of it and the following night it got down to 49 but not windy at all. Its been warm during the day and last night it wasnt chilly at all. We pulled them inside and let them sleep under the heat lamp and they still didnt seem themselves. The 1 speckled sussex is drinking more than the cochin and seems more alert, but none are eating. The cochin is the smallest of the flock and keeps trying to sleep wherever she is, but chirps quietly (not raspy). Their poop last night was a bit runny and was hinted with red almost like they were shedding intestinal lining. They don't have pasty butt and are now back in with the flock. I've never had a chick with Cocci so I don't know what I'm looking for. Also we paid extra for the hatchery to vaccinate them so I wouldn't want to give them medicated feed to nullify the vaccination. If anyone has experienced this or could give some insight on whats going on it would be much appreciated! I don't want to lose these two girls!

Rachel

When I see poop like like in mine it's almost always coccidiosis or worms. Can you post a picture of the poop?

-Kathy

 

[ABeautifulLife]

I don't think they have worms simply because I don't see any in their poop, but I've never had a chicken with worms. I gave them some fruit some yogurt and the tetracycline water but I don't think they've drank or eaten any. They're under the heat lamp

 

[casportpony]

I don't think they have worms simply because I don't see any in their poop, but I've never had a chicken with worms. I gave them some fruit some yogurt and the tetracycline water but I don't think they've drank or eaten any. They're under the heat lamp

Wow, that looks like coccidiosis or infection to me. If you decide to treat with Corid the powder dose is 1.5 teaspoons per gallon and the liquid dose is 2 teaspoons per gallon. Can you take one to a vet? If not, I think you need to learn how to tube feed.

-Kathy