Changing feed

[CCUK]

I recently bought 4 chicks that are 6 weeks old. The person I bought them from said they were being fed with chick crumb with acs. My other chicks are being fed this so when I got the new chicks I just filled their feeder with it. The have started all looking lethargic with closed eyes. They are eating and drinking, but I had to cull one ad it collapsed and started pooing alot of blood. I separated it and it deteriorated. These chicks are separate from my others. If they weren't being fed chick crumb with acs and I started feeding them it could it make them sick?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I don't know what acs is.
Without more information, most likely is that the new birds were carriers of something.
If new birds are quarantined from the originals, how far away?

 

[CCUK]

I don't know what acs is.
Without more information, most likely is that the new birds were carriers of something.
If new birds are quarantined from the originals, how far away?

Acs is the anti coccidiat that is added to some chick crumb. The new ones are in my garage now and my first ones are in my livingroom.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thanks. We call that medicated feed which means it usually contains amprolium or a sulfa drug for that purpose.
Even with birds separated, it is possible for one to transfer disease on hands, clothes or shoes when moving between flocks.
Best practice is to care for your birds first before handling the new ones and wash up between.

 

[CCUK]

My routine at the minute is to sort all my other birds out then do these last. I have no idea what could be up with them. There is no sneezing or wheezing, runny eyes or noses. Just lethargy and the one I culled pooing blood and collapsing. Should I give them some denagard in the water or let it play out and see what happens?

 

[Eggcessive]

They sound like they may have coccidiosis, so I would get some amprollium or amprol to treat their water for 5-7 days. You may have to get that from a vet if you are in the UK. Coccidiosis symptoms are lethargy or sleepiness, runny poops sometimes with blood, standing hunched or puffed up, weakness, and no appetite. I could not find out what acs stood for in the feed. Is there amprollium in it?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I agree with Eggsessive. You may need to administer a stronger dose of amprolium to the lethargic birds.
Keeping bedding bone dry helps.

 

[CCUK]

Thanks. The ACS is meant to be an anti coccidiat. I think it administers a small amount to improve immunity. I have something called harkers coxoid which is for treating cocci in pigeons. It is amprolium. So I will try some of that in the water.

 

[CCUK]

Should I take them off the medicated feed?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

When I bought a bag of medicated feed, the instructions on the label said not to feed it at the same time as dosing more amprolium because of the chance of over medicating. So I would say yes.
However, I've read on this forum of many people using medicated feed and still dose with corid/amprolium heavily.

That bag of feed was the only time I ever used it.
I also bought a bottle of Corid that has now expired because I only used it once and that was several years ago. I'm a believer in managing to control coccidia rather than treating for it. Coccidia require a moist environment to complete its life cycle. Keeping bedding bone dry and feeders at least half full which limits the amount of time chicks pick at their feces has been my best defense.