Bloated crop & bloody poop- coccidiosis?

[suzannaski]

Hi
They are improving, knock on wood. At night I keep them in a ferret cage, with new shavings on the bottom. I wash the floor of it with listerine (I thought bleach might harm the babies). From what I've read, it should be controllable if I can keep the chicks separated from the poop, so I'm putting thick shavings down and scooping out poop as it arrives.
During the day (weather permitting) I put them in a clear tote out in the chicken run, also washed with listerine, with thick shavings.
I put the waterer on half a cinder block which raises it high enough to keep any infected shavings from getting into the water. Tried that with the feed, but they kept knocking it over, so it sits on top of the shavings, and I keep cleaning it.
Apparently the cocci are in the dirt, so it's best to keep the chicks away from the ground until 8 wks. I'm still new at this.

After an exhausting day of getting them treated, I went to class, then came home, relaxed for all of an hour before my DH let the dog out for his "bedtime bark"....who then came back in with ears & tail down....he got sprayed by a skunk!
Washed the dog, twice, then washed the entire bathroom, then washed myself. I think I burnt out my nostrils. DH opened all the windows (duh, there's more smell outside) and then watched TV with his shirt collar over his nose. What a wussy, but he makes me nice dinners, so it all evens out.

Today I'm supposed to be doing census work- LOL! - I can't even tell if I stink or not anymore, the smell is permanently in my nose I think.

 

[chicmom]

Hi Suz-

You are doing a great job with those chicks! So glad they're doing better. I remember when I got my first chicks.....I think I had read everything I could find on the web for about two years......

ARG SKUNKS! You're about the third person I've heard to have their dog sprayed....my friend here at work had BOTH of her dogs sprayed by a skunk just last week.

It's been so nice talking to you.....I'll put you on my friend's list if you don't mind!

Sincerely,

Sharon

 

[suzannaski]

Not at all! Of course, I had to go figure out what a friends list was.
Thanks for all your help. Seriously, they'd all be dead without you & BYC.

 

[PamB]

Hi! I hope you don't mind my "butting in" but I'm going through the same thing with one of my chicks. I just picked up the Sulmet today and put it in the water. I also picked up an antibiotic just in case. do you think I should give them both?? The woman at the store said I should probably do the Sulmet first and the antibiotic after if they seemed sick still. Any ideas?

 

[chicmom]

Pam, that sounds like good advice. Sulmet first, and then if you're still having a problem, use the antibiotics....I try not to use antibiotics much....because I've heard they can build up a resistance to them. Vitamins/electrolites in the drinking water are always a big help to give your little chicks a boost.

Sharon

 

[suzannaski]

Did a little research, and thanks also to my biology class:
The antibacterial works on prokaryotes, which is what cocci is/are.
The antibiotics also work similarly. The can kill the bacteria cells without harming the chick's cells because bacteria (prokaryotes) make proteins in a different way than animal cells (eukaryotes) The difference, from what I can understand, is that antibacterial works on surfaces (doesn't penetrate cells) but the antibiotic does.
I got this from wikipedia: Antiseptics are generally distinguished from antibiotics by the latter's ability to be transported through the lymphatic system to destroy bacteria within the body.
I'm supposed to be studying for a quiz. This counts, doesn't it?

 

[chicmom]

LOL! Sounds very scientific to me......(I guess I'm a little inaccurate......) I think I called the cocci protozoa......Oh well.

At any rate...I think you should count that as homework.......I don't know if I could go to school.....I'm too old! LOL

 

[suzannaski]

Well, scientific with error. I re-read Selmut and its antibiotic not antibacterial.

I am too old for school. By the time I finish the pre-requisites and then finally get accepted to the highly competitive school and complete the program, I'll be qualifying for retirement. I'm actually an architect, but no one is building anything (thank you mortgage company meltdown), therefore I can't keep my practice open, unless I agree to design homes at $10/hr. So at $10/hr, I'd rather work as a vet tech. But then I can't do anything halfway, so I'm setting my sights on DVM.

 

[PamB]

Thanks for the advice. So far, the chick is still acting fine. I don't have electrolytes, but maybe I'll get some. None of them are acting sickly so I didn't think I needed that. The only problem is the one with the bloody poo. Hoping it stops soon!!

 

[suzannaski]

You're already treating it, hope that stops the spread. Mine are doing much better since I started the selmut & electrolytes