9 day old chicks COCCIDIA HELP

[debid]

Honestly, a thermometer is not the best way to measure. Watching their behavior is better. They should spend a lot of time eating, drinking, and running around. Chicks are busy creatures, they explore everything. They should take a lot of short naps at this age, napping directly under the heat source while touching their friends. If you see chicks that aren't feathered yet sleeping all over the enclosure, it's too warm. Too cold looks like frantically climbing onto each other in a pile but this is a rare sight, indeed, most people provide too much heat rather than not enough.

If you can get a brooder plate, you don't need a light. Just position the brooder in a room with a nice sized window so they can sense when the sun is setting and they'll load their crops up and go sleep under it at night like they would if they were being raised by a hen. This is good for their health.

 

[Feathered babie]

I've never heard that and 92-93 is already more than warm enough. The cool areas of my brooder are usually down in the 50s-60s, to give you an idea of how much of a contrast there can be.

I mainly asked about the source of bulb because there's been rare cases where someone used a food service bulb instead, coated with Teflon, and when heated that becomes toxic to birds. Good to know that is not the case.

Hopefully with a larger brooder space and lower temps, you'll find the diarrhea issue goes away. I would still follow the recommended Corid treatment all the way through to ensure coccidiosis isn't the issue.

Thank you! I lowered the temp a little more. Someone explained on here explained that with the red bulb 250w they feel warmer by a few degrees than what the thermometer reads. I am so worried about them.

 

[Feathered babie]

Honestly, a thermometer is not the best way to measure. Watching their behavior is better. They should spend a lot of time eating, drinking, and running around. Chicks are busy creatures, they explore everything. They should take a lot of short naps at this age, napping directly under the heat source while touching their friends. If you see chicks that aren't feathered yet sleeping all over the enclosure, it's too warm. Too cold looks like frantically climbing onto each other in a pile but this is a rare sight, indeed, most people provide too much heat rather than not enough.

If you can get a brooder plate, you don't need a light. Just position the brooder in a room with a nice sized window so they can sense when the sun is setting and they'll load their crops up and go sleep under it at night like they would if they were being raised by a hen. This is good for their health.

Update: My husband built our babies actual brooder boxes and I got them the heat plate and what a world of a difference! They went under there and started making their cute comfort noises. I do believe that I made some rookie mistakes however the diarrhea they came home with got better after 2 days on Corid. I’m down to 5/10 chicks and I’m very hopeful that they will now more than before will be ok. Thank you!

 

[Feathered babie]

Thank you! I lowered the temp a little more. Someone explained on here explained that with the red bulb 250w they feel warmer by a few degrees than what the thermometer reads. I am so worried about them.

Large brooder built
Heat plate bought
Red heat bulb gone
I ran and did all the recommended advice the next day after my post here and my chicks seem way better and happier.

 

[Feathered babie]

Pictures of brooder set up, what feed are you feeding is feeder full at all times. What are you using for heat? Temperature of brooder? Do they have an area to get away from heat ? What kind of bedding are you using? What has there poop looked like picture would be good. Any blood in droppings?

All the things were changed! Brooder box built super spacious for cool zones and brooder heat plate activated! The chicks love the plate but were a bit skeptical about all the extra space they now have. I can’t wait to see them playing and doing their curious baby chick things. I set up their heat plate slanted so the have heat options they love it down there. I’m so thankful for all you knowledgable chicken parents and finding this forum!

 

[Feathered babie]

They're definitely overheated. 250W lamps were designed to heat a 6' circle in an unheated barn in spring. It's too much heat for a house brooder and far too much for a plastic bin where the heat will absorb and then radiate from the surfaces. They can't sense a cool zone because the space is too close to being all one temperature.

They will get diarrhea, wasting, and electrolyte imbalances quickly from too much water and not enough food when overheated.

I used 175W outdoors and it was too much in a small space at 30F ambient, had to drop to 100W. Then I switched to a contact type of heater and it was SO MUCH EASIER to warm them enough without overheating. I highly recommend going to the store and getting a little heating plate style brooder.

You guys were so right! The chicks are much happier and safer now! We build them brooders large enough to add more babies down the road this year. They have all the space now with plenary of cool zones. I also did run to the store the next day and got them heater plates and oh my I think this is my new favorite contraption. The heat lamps were stowed away for other uses. The chicks seem to absolutely love the heating plate went under there and only came out to eat a few bite, take a few sips and went straight under to sleep. The diarrhea they came home with did get better 2 days into Corid treatment but the temperature changes have made a world of a difference! Thank you all!

 

[Feathered babie]

The dosage is exactly as I stated: 2 teaspoons per gallon. They will not overdose at this amount. In fact, it's more dangerous to give less if they indeed have coccidiosis. Chicks drink very little water per day, so scale down accordingly if you don't want to waste.

In the meantime, I'd really focus on getting them a larger enclosure to give them an area to cool off with food/water.

All the things done! I will finish the Corid treatment. Last day is this Saturday. Brooder was built and I purchased brooder heat plate and it has made a world of a difference for both my chicks and me! I can get actual sleep now. I woke up at 3am to check on them since it was theirs and my first night with the heated plate and they were making their cute comfort sounds down there The diarrhea got way better after day 2 of Corid but I think that changing the set up is what did it too!

 

[rosemarythyme]

The new brooders look great. If you don't already have a cover for them, make sure to have some made up as chicks can easily jump up a couple feet by the time they're a couple weeks old. Scrap hardware cloth or even window screening attached to a frame works fine, doesn't have to be anything fancy.