bloody poop on a Sunday

[BantamLover21]

I am happy to report that the other two little chicks seem to be recovering and on the mend. No more bloody poop, perkier attitudes, and eating/drinking/moving around again. The guineas never showed any signs of being infected, perhaps their immune systems are already tough enough.

I talked with a girlfriend today who got chicks this summer and had them vaccinated for Cocci. The chicks I have came from the same hatchery, though I'll have to check with the guy who raised them before me to see if they were also vaccinated. Question though: my girlfriend said that she was instructed NOT to feed medicated feed as this would negate the vaccinations given. Is this true? Can anyone explain why? It is so interesting and I never would have thought this to be the case.

Your girlfriend is correct: feeding medicated feed will negate the vaccine. This is because a Coccidiosis vaccine is an injection of a few Coccidia. This causes chicks to build resistance/tolerance to the Coccidia, as, in small amounts, Coccidia will not severely harm a bird. If fed medicated feed, the few Coccidia that were given to the chick are killed, and the chick's desensitization to Coccidia has to start all over again. But if not fed medicated feed, the chick gets used to the Coccidia that inhabit its digestive tract, and, as long as the Coccidia don't suddenly rapidly multiply, the Coccidia have little effect on the chick. Of course, if the chick is introduced to new Coccidia (like when it moves into a new coop, etc.), it can still become ill, as it has only built resistance to the type of Coccidia that was injected into it.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I am happy to report that the other two little chicks seem to be recovering and on the mend. No more bloody poop, perkier attitudes, and eating/drinking/moving around again. The guineas never showed any signs of being infected, perhaps their immune systems are already tough enough.

I talked with a girlfriend today who got chicks this summer and had them vaccinated for Cocci. The chicks I have came from the same hatchery, though I'll have to check with the guy who raised them before me to see if they were also vaccinated. Question though: my girlfriend said that she was instructed NOT to feed medicated feed as this would negate the vaccinations given. Is this true? Can anyone explain why? It is so interesting and I never would have thought this to be the case.

Yes, this is true. I'm not sure why,either, though,

 

[BantamLover21]

Yes, this is true. I'm not sure why,either, though,

The explanation is two posts up.

 

[cheekyhens]

Does this look like a bloody poo? They're eating fine, no lethargy, occasional watery poos, first one I've seenlike this. Haven't had anything red to eat, had some blueberries that day.

 

[cheekyhens]

If I treat with corid do I have to change the water every day? I have a nipple style PVC waterer that has a sealing lid on the bucket..? Here's a picture of the potential cocci looking poo...

 

[buckaroogirl]

Yes it has to be made fresh everyday.

 

[casportpony]

If I treat with corid do I have to change the water every day? I have a nipple style PVC waterer that has a sealing lid on the bucket..? Here's a picture of the potential cocci looking poo...

If the amprolium doesn't clear that up, I'd worm them, too.

-Kathy

 

[HenOnTheHill]

Does this look like a bloody poo? They're eating fine, no lethargy, occasional watery poos, first one I've seenlike this. Haven't had anything red to eat, had some blueberries that day.

If they have coccidiosis you will know it soon. This would be relatively normal compared to what you will see next if they are infected (way looser stool and blood splats everywhere...it will look like a crime scene). If they have it, they will be lethargic and will just want to stand around. They also kind of puff up their feathers (not sure why). The corid used to treat the birds is for bovine (I didn't know this the first time and it took talking to 4-5 Tractor Supply stores before someone clued me in). How old are they? Have they been on medicated feed? Have you recently changed their environment (inside house to coop)? A group of mine got it when I moved them out to the coop and didn't keep them on medicated feed (which helps prevent cocci). It was a learner's mistake. Thankfully I only lost one, but then again, that was still very sad. Good luck to you. I hope your chicks make it!

 

[cheekyhens]

What's Amprolium? Is that corid? No change in environment, they're about 7 months old. Have had them for 3weeks. Not sure if they've been vaccinated or if they've been fed medicated feed. They're being fed pelleted feed, scratch and scraps.

I did actually think their coop looked like a crime scene once about a week or more ago. It looked like they had explosive diarrhea on the coop floor, but nothing red, it was all dark black/green.

I'll watch their behavior when I get a chance to check on them next. I got the powdered corid from ts.

 

[Wyandottes7]

What's Amprolium? Is that corid? No change in environment, they're about 7 months old. Have had them for 3weeks. Not sure if they've been vaccinated or if they've been fed medicated feed. They're being fed pelleted feed, scratch and scraps.

I did actually think their coop looked like a crime scene once about a week or more ago. It looked like they had explosive diarrhea on the coop floor, but nothing red, it was all dark black/green.

I'll watch their behavior when I get a chance to check on them next. I got the powdered corid from ts.

Yes, Amprolium is the active ingredient in Corid.