Bloody poops and birds acting sick...HELP PLEASE! (UPDATE)

[magikchick]

I noticed bloody looking poop in my 5 week old cochin pen. The birds are standing around looking like they are cold. What is wrong?

 

[ChickenToes]

Are they eating and drinking? When did you notice the bloody poop?

It could be cocci. I'm afraid I'm not much help, hopefully someone else will be able to help more.

 

[magikchick]

I notice the poop in the pen they sleep in this morning. One chick has been acting sickly for a day or so now. This afternoon more of them were just standing around and I saw more of the poop in the pen.

 

[speckledhen]

They have cocci, most likely. You need to get Corid (concentrated Amprolium) or Sulmet. Corid is preferred because it is easier on their intestines. Have they been outside? Cocci is a protozoan in the soil and it makes their intestines bleed and they can die from it, though it's very common.

http://www.cornerstone-farm.com/dealing_with_coccidiosis.htm

 

[magikchick]

I had these chicks at a swap meet last weekend. I think they got stressed out.

 

[speckledhen]

Stress doesn't help, certainly, but cocci is a very common ailment that can kill quickly. They do need meds ASAP. Hope they make it!

 

[magikchick]

After 2 stressful days (for me) the chicks finally seem to be doing better. They are starting to pick at food and drink water. They are also loosing that cold chick apperance. The bloody poo has just about stoped as well.

I got medicated food and fed my whole flock with it just in case. I couldn't find any Corid and the Sulmet was over $60.00 at TSC. Instead I treated them with yogurt and milk as well a ACV in the water. I also cleaned their pen and sprayed a dilute vinegar solution all over it,then put in clean bedding.

I'm going to order some Corid off line just in case this happens again.

 

[speckledhen]

Raw milk and/or yogurt is an old remedy that soothes the intestines and does seem to help. Sulmet comes in a white bottle for about $9, too. They probably had a huge container of it for that kind of money. Corid can be harder to find than Sulmet.

 

[Panther Creek Poultry]

can chicks get Cocci from bad drinking water?

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, since poop often gets into the water of chicks, that is how it is spread. Dampness is an issue as well. You must keep very clean waterers, which I do, but they can get it anyway. I'm beginning to wonder if the Amprolium is losing its effectiveness against cocci, at least at the levels in most chick starters. Mine always get cocci, except the babies with the broody hens. They rarely get it. Interesting, isn't it? I bet they get immunity from their mom's poop they sample.