Bloody poop in new chicks? *UPDATE: Poop almost normal again*

[Nonny]

Two of our newbies have quite bloody poops today.

I read about coccoidosis etc but it's late here and I can't get anything tonight. I have some ACV in the cupboard, but not the organic stuff, and the waterer is only a small one (2 cups capacity). Can anyone advise whether it's worth adding some to the waterer, and if so, how much would it be for such a small waterer?

They are eating, drinking, cheeping what seems to be a normal amount for chicks as far as I can tell, and move about quite freely when they're not huddled up in a sleepy pile of feathers.

 

[mrslb333]

I always add acv to chicks water a few mls should be enough and wont hurt them. There's not much you can do tonight so let them rest and try cocci treatment tomorrow. Is it definitely blood ?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

IMO I don't think the vinegar will do any good. If it isn't organic ACV with the mother it is basically sterile acidic water.

I would either start them on a medicated feed immediately or get them Amprolium or whatever you use there for Cocci.

Keeping the bedding dry stalls the life cycle of the coccidia.
Keeping feeder at least half full limits their picking at their feces.
Free range chicks and chicks in wire cages rarely get coccidiosis because they don't come in contact with their feces. Chicks confined on bedding get it.
I raise mine on pine shavings but try to prevent water spills and keep food in front of them 24/7

I don't feed medicated feed as a rule of thumb but had some bloody stool with the last batch of chicks and switched to med starter for a couple weeks and all cleared up.

 

[Nonny]

I've just changed out all their bedding , and it was bone dry. No poop in the feeder or waterer either (must be the world's cleanest chicks - I was expecting to have to clean these out several times a day!).

I have no idea what we use here for medicating them so I'll have to contact the store first thing in the a.m. and see what's available.

I'm pretty sure it's blood... I've had them out on a white towel, and the poops had quite a red ring around them that spread out around the solid part of the poop. Unless chick poo can be quite red normally?

 

[mrslb333]

Quote:
What's the difference with the organic versus non organic? I use organic because it was cheaper is there something better in it?
I lost a few to cocci last year I only use medicated crumb for chicks now

 

[Nonny]

OK, I just checked and I can get the Amprolium at our local produce store for about $25 (for 100g).

The food that came with the chicks as part of the starter package I bought is not medicated, so maybe I should pick up some medicated feed while I'm out?

One thing I didn't think about until just now... I'm renting the brooder, and when I collected it yesterday along with the chicks, food etc, it was already full of shavings as she said "we had a few chicks in there today". I've now cleaned it all out and put in a fresh lot, but I'm thinking she should have given it to me in a cleaned condition, not "still being used"? I guess it's likely the shavings that were in there were infected with the bacteria.

Not happy!

 

[mrslb333]

Quote:
It can vary in colour, do you have a pic? Have you fed anything other than chick crumb to them ?

 

[seminolewind]

Medicated feed is used as a preventative. You still need to put a coccidial in their water. I hope you can get some soon.

 

[Nonny]

They're only eating chick crumble... it came with the package. They're only a few days old still (Maybe 3 - 5 ish?) so I haven't had them outside or offered anything else yet.

Will try and get a pic... any excuse to give one a cuddle

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Quote:
The non organic has been pasteurized and the heat destroys the healthy enzymes and organic won't contain pesticides and is the only one recommended for internal use.

The FDA here is funny. I'm sure you have different rules there and probably more informative labeling.
IMO I think the FDA has evolved to protect big business more than consumers. They allow lots of things on labels that are meaningless.