Avoiding Cocci

[Huskeriowa]

Hi all,

I have a small flock. Six hens in the coop and I have three nine week old chicks in the basement. When I add a new group of chicks to the established hens I put them in a dog run inside of the chicken run until they are ready to be fully introduced to the old gals.

Last year I tried to introduce four chicks and I believe I had a case of Cocci. I had recently dug a few fence posts around the coop and three chicks and one older died quickly. I am trying to avoid that this year.

I do have some Corid medication left over from last year. The starter food the chicks have been eating is medicated. If the food is medicated do I need to also use corid when they are placed outside? Thanks for any guidance.

 

[Eggcessive]

Some people use the (amprollium) medicated feed for prevention, and some will use a low dose of Corid as a preventative treatment every 3 weeks or so, especially if there has been an outbreak in the past. The low dose of Corid is 1/3 of the treatment dose. What some do is to give brooder-raised chicks a clump of sod in the beginning to gradually start building immunity to cocci. I have done this, and my broody-raised chicks who are on the ground from day one have never had cocci. I can't say that the exposure to soil early is the reason, but it works for some. Here is doing information for Corid: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/818879/updated-corid-and-amprol-amprolium-dosing

 

[Huskeriowa]

Thanks a lot! I appreciate you taking the time.