Bloody stool

[shellraiser]

Stool from a 4 week old chick. Is this cocci? What do I do? Just got our first chicks yesterday. I have had them out in the yard, but now I'm reading that they can get the bacteria from the dirt. I also saw a poop in the water, I changed it right away, I'm not sure if they drank from it. They have been vac'd.

 

[K R 2709]

Hmmm... Sometimes the red in third droppings can be the shedding of the intestinal lining wich is regular and healthy. That looks like a bit to much red for that to me. If they do have cocci you are supposed to treat them with corid.
Best of luck,

 

[mwat]

Can I ask K R 2709, Is Corid the brand name or the active ingredient? I'm in Australia an don't seem to have a lot of these things available. However it might just be a different brand.

Hope it's nothing too bad Shellraiser!

 

[appps]

Those first reddish poops can be a bit of a shock but it is fairly normal. Linings tend to not be blood red or bright blood red.

If you google types of chicken poo you will find a really good page with photos of the different types.

If you decide its not just normal shedding of the intestinal lining (often worse after changing feeds) ring your vet. I got the treatment through one near us when I thought we might have it but turned out to be just lining and I never used it.

 

[shellraiser]

Thanks, I am less concerned now. I haven't seen any other abnormal poo and no behavioural changes. I'm keeping a close eye though.

 

[appps]

I found when I first brought chicks home and they therefore changed feeds from what they were used to and then when I went from chick to grower they would get a lot more of the lining stools along with a bit of diareah.
Hopefully that's all yours is too.

Have you found the Aussie threads yet? Drop in and say hi

 

[casportpony]

I would weigh them daily as weigh loss or lack of gain is often the first coccidiosis symptom you'll see. Young chicks should gain weigh daily, period.

-Kathy

 

[shellraiser]

Thank you Kathy, that's a great suggestion. I'll do that.

 

[casportpony]

I don't know what breed(s) you have, but here is a chart that shows target weights for egg laying pullets.

Source:http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps046
0.60
Table 2.
Example of target body weights during the rearing of replacement pullets.
Age
(weeks)

Body weight
(Pounds)

(Grams)
1

0.14

65
2

0.24

110
3

0.40

180
4

0.55

250
5

0.71

320
6

0.88

400
7

1.10

500
8

1.28

580
9

1.50

680
10

1.70

770
11

1.92

870
12

2.09

950
13

2.27

1030
14

2.43

1100
15

2.56

1160
16

2.67

1210
17

2.76

1250
18

2.82

1280
19

2.89

1310
20

3.00

1360
Footnotes

 

[shellraiser]

Thanks for that. According to this chart all 3 are severely underweight for their age. They were sold to us as sexed 4 week olds, but one is quite larger than the other two. I'll look up their breed but they are 3/4 mixed.