Battling coccidia

[neophyte17]

So I have been fighting a losing battle against coccidia. Keep baby chicks inside completely separated from rest of flock. However, at 2 to 2 1/2 month of age when I move them to an outside coop still separated from adults, they end up getting coccidia and I ultimately lose several even after catching some with symptoms and starting treatment with corid right away. I have had some die on me even being on medicated feed before even going outside. What am I doing wrong? I keep everything as clean as possible, change the water and feed daily and wash my hands when handling the chicks

 

[Kiki]

You already know there will be issues with coccidiosis so plan ahead. The day before you move the next batch of chicks out start them on Corid.

 

[Kiki]

Have you had testing done to be sure that coccidiosis is the problem?

 

[neophyte17]

You already know there will be issues with coccidiosis so plan ahead. The day before you move the next batch of chicks out start them on Corid.

So I can put them on corid as a preventative?

 

[neophyte17]

Have you had testing done to be sure that coccidiosis is the problem?

There is no vet that treats chickens or does testing near by. I am going by the bloody stools and rapid death rate

 

[Kiki]

So I can put them on corid as a preventative?

Well... If I were stuck in your shoes and I were convinced that it was coccidiosis then yes I would put them on Corid water the day before I move them outside.... But no you really shouldn't do it unless you are 100% sure that is what you're dealing with.

 

[coach723]

So I can put them on corid as a preventative?

Put them on the full dose treatment of Corid the day before you put them out, that gives the medication time to get in them. The medication mimics thiamine, which the coccidia need to survive, they feed on the medication instead and starve and die. You may have a high load of coccidia in your environment or a particularly virulent strain, so the Corid will help prevent the numbers from multiplying in your chicks guts and overwhelming them. Do the full 5 to 7 days of treatment, make sure it's the only water they have access to. Medicated feed contains a very small amount of the medication, but it does not always prevent outbreaks, when it happens you have to use the full strength treatment dosing.
Correct dosing is 2 tsp of the liquid Corid per gallon of water, or 1 1/2 tsp of the powdered Corid per gallon of water, make fresh daily.
When on medicated feed, it only works as a preventative if the chicks are exposed to the coccidia while on it. Once they are exposed, and recover, they will have some resistance to that strain in the future. If they are never exposed then they cannot build resistance. My brooder raised chicks get a saucer of dirt from my yard (not from the chicken run) starting day one that they can dig and scratch and peck and dustbathe in. They are naturally exposed to all the microbes and have a chance to build resistance while their immune systems are developing. I always have Corid on hand in case treatment is needed, but by doing this I have not had to treat in many years, I don't have chicks getting sick when they finally go outside on the ground. Corid is pretty safe. If doing it this way does not make any difference then I would send one off for necropsy when they die, find out for sure what the cause is.

 

[neophyte17]

Put them on the full dose treatment of Corid the day before you put them out, that gives the medication time to get in them. The medication mimics thiamine, which the coccidia need to survive, they feed on the medication instead and starve and die. You may have a high load of coccidia in your environment or a particularly virulent strain, so the Corid will help prevent the numbers from multiplying in your chicks guts and overwhelming them. Do the full 5 to 7 days of treatment, make sure it's the only water they have access to. Medicated feed contains a very small amount of the medication, but it does not always prevent outbreaks, when it happens you have to use the full strength treatment dosing.
Correct dosing is 2 tsp of the liquid Corid per gallon of water, or 1 1/2 tsp of the powdered Corid per gallon of water, make fresh daily.
When on medicated feed, it only works as a preventative if the chicks are exposed to the coccidia while on it. Once they are exposed, and recover, they will have some resistance to that strain in the future. If they are never exposed then they cannot build resistance. My brooder raised chicks get a saucer of dirt from my yard (not from the chicken run) starting day one that they can dig and scratch and peck and dustbathe in. They are naturally exposed to all the microbes and have a chance to build resistance while their immune systems are developing. I always have Corid on hand in case treatment is needed, but by doing this I have not had to treat in many years, I don't have chicks getting sick when they finally go outside on the ground. Corid is pretty safe. If doing it this way does not make any difference then I would send one off for necropsy when they die, find out for sure what the cause is.

I will try putting them on Corid the day before they go outside as you suggest. I do not want to risk losing any of these new chicks I just got. They are splash standard cochin which were very difficult to come by. Thank you so much for your informative reply!

 

[neophyte17]

Well... If I were stuck in your shoes and I were convinced that it was coccidiosis then yes I would put them on Corid water the day before I move them outside.... But no you really shouldn't do it unless you are 100% sure that is what you're dealing with.

I am 90% sure that it is what I am dealing with. Mainly because the ones that did survive, recovered only after using Corid to treat them. Thank you for your reply!

 

[Kiki]

The 90% is enough for me to say try starting the Corid next time and see what happens. It shouldn't hurt even if it isn't coccidiosis.