Blood in one of my chick's poop

[rooster47]

Help! I have 5 Isa Brown Chicks - my first time ever raising chickens - and they are still in a brooder - almost 5 weeks old. I noticed today that there is blood in one of the chick's stools but I don't know which chick. What could the blood be from? Is there anything I can do?

 

[MsNibbles]

Keep their area clean, clean, clean. Make sure poop is not in their water or food. They can get coccidiosis.
Best bet is to purchase chick started that is medicated and keep their brooder very very clean.
Put little perches so that they can get off the floor away from poop. I put little bird toys so that they will peck at the toys instead of their poop.

The following info from this website:

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex4616

How to Know When Chickens are Infected?
The most easily recognized clinical sign of severe cecal coccidiosis is the presence of bloody droppings. Dehydration may accompany cecal coccidiosis.

Coccidiosis caused by E. tenella first becomes noticeable at about three days after infection. Chickens droop, stop feeding, huddle together, and by the fourth day, blood begins to appear in the droppings. The greatest amount of blood appears by day five or six, and by the eighth or ninth day, the bird is either dead or on the way to recovery. Mortality is highest between the fourth and sixth days. Death may occur unexpectedly, owing to excessive blood loss. Birds that recover may develop a chronic illness as a result of a persistent cecal core. However, the core usually detaches itself by eight to ten days and is shed in the droppings.


How to Prevent Chickens from Getting Coccidiosis

A few good management practices will help control coccidiosis. Contact your veterinarian for full details.

Anticoccidial drugs mixed in the feed are used to limit high levels of infection.
Keep chicks, feed and water away from droppings.
Roost birds over wire netting if brooding arrangements make this possible.
Place water vessels on wire frames to eliminate a concentration of wet droppings, in which the chicks can walk to pick up or spread the disease.
Keep litter dry and stirred frequently. Remove wet spots and replace with dry litter.
Avoid overcrowding.
If coccidiosis does break out, start treatment immediately.

 

[rooster47]

Thanks so much. I have them on clean towels every day but I never thought of putting wire in there to keep them from stepping in their poop. I will do that right now! Thanks again.