Amprolium x 3 days and still seeing abnormal poop

[katlantis]

I'd like to start by thanking everyone who has left so much info here for my use; this site is invaluable to a relative newbie.


OK, so my 4 big girls are all around 12-16 months and while we have had some issues with lice, 3 look great and 1, Lily, has looked a little rough for 5-6 weeks now (feathers are gone on one side of neck and under one wing, the other feathers are not smooth and glossy like the other girls and she is considerably lighter and smaller than the rest).


About 2 weeks ago, we bought 8 unsexed, hen-hatched chicks, aged 5 and 7 weeks; they were fed with "chick-starter" per the woman I bought them from, but I don't know if that is a medicated feed or not. I know that there is supposed to be a quarantine time generally, but we put the new kids in with the big girls after about 2 days. 10 days later, I noticed one of the new kids puffed up and pulling her head into her shoulders. The next morning I spied bloody poop! This fine site led me to a probable diagnosis of coccidiosis, and I immediately went to the feed store for amprolium 9.6% liquid and added it to the water at a dosage of 1 teaspoon per gallon (which is what the bottle, which is packaged for chickens recommended although I have seen a few different recommended dosages here in the many, many threads on coccidiosis).

That was Sunday. The sick chick, though I fed her medicated water by syringe, and though eating of its own volition on Sunday eve, died during the night. I have continued to medicate the water and have read that the bloody poo should clear up within about 24 hours of the amprolium being started; trouble is, I am still seeing poo with some pinkish-red (rather than bright red blood red) in some of the young chicks poop, and from Lily.

Other than the pink in the stool, everyone is eating and drinking fine and looks good; Lily, while not actually looking good, per se, looks baseline.

I have read that amprolium is the way to go, but have also read that some strains of cocci are resistant and was wondering if i should switch to sulfadimethoxine? Or???


Please advise all you savvy, smart, experienced chicken owners. . . I felt so bad when the little one died a few days ago.

 

[cafarmgirl]

The dose information I have on the liquid is 9.5 ml per gallon of water, a teaspoon is only 5 ml so it sounds like you might be under dosing them. They need to stay on it as the only source of water for 5 to 7 days. I would up the dose and see if you see better results.

 

[Fred's Hens]

yep yep

 

[katlantis]

ok--per your advice (which, incidentally, is different from both the instructions on the bottle and most posts i read through here for the dosage), i increased the amprolium to 9.5ml/gallon and that has been in effect for 4 days. the bottle recommendation is 3-5 days, you recommended 5-7, the university of CT recommends 10-14; jeez! it's hard to know what to do! they had 4 days at the 5ml/gallon and 4 more at the increased dosage.

i've been looking and looking at pics on this site and i THINK i am only seeing shed intestinal lining at this point, but to me, the poop is still kind of abnormal. all the girls are eating and drinking and acting pretty darn normal. . . so, what is causing the new high amount of shedding of intestinal lining, if that's what it is? is it only young birds that do this? my older girls never did this, but they were more than a few months old when i got them.

also, i read that post-amprolium, supplements should be provided, especially with vitamins A and K; recommendations please?

once again, thank you all you chicken veterans!

 

[ten chicks]

ok--per your advice (which, incidentally, is different from both the instructions on the bottle and most posts i read through here for the dosage), i increased the amprolium to 9.5ml/gallon and that has been in effect for 4 days. the bottle recommendation is 3-5 days, you recommended 5-7, the university of CT recommends 10-14; jeez! it's hard to know what to do! they had 4 days at the 5ml/gallon and 4 more at the increased dosage.

i've been looking and looking at pics on this site and i THINK i am only seeing shed intestinal lining at this point, but to me, the poop is still kind of abnormal. all the girls are eating and drinking and acting pretty darn normal. . . so, what is causing the new high amount of shedding of intestinal lining, if that's what it is? is it only young birds that do this? my older girls never did this, but they were more than a few months old when i got them.

also, i read that post-amprolium, supplements should be provided, especially with vitamins A and K; recommendations please?

once again, thank you all you chicken veterans!

Like to clarify that dose for Corid(amprolium)9.6% liquid is 9.5ml or 9.5 cc = 1.93 tsp,we use 2 tsp (close enough for measuring)per gallon of water.Dose for Corid 20% powder is 1/2 tsp per gallon of water. You should have noticed no blood in poop in approx 24 hours,other symptoms may take a couple of days(lethargic,fluffed feathers,not eating/drinking properly).i would think if chicks have been on dose for 9 days,it is probably shed intestinal lining(lining looks pinkish-red and sort of stringy,as opposed to blood.) You can also do a follow up dose 2 weeks after the last dose,this is for 3 days and is only a precaution to make sure all cocci is in fact under control. The dose recommended by the University is probably a lower dose and used for prevention.

For vitamins something like Nutri drench or similar product.