Chick diarrhea

[hen howitzer]

I've just gotten my first chicks about a month ago. I have one or two that have a nasty case of diarrhea. It's runny brown (looks like the people variety) and smells like a rank kids diaper. It's been going on for a couple of days now. I've sepperated the one I know has it, and the other must have it on and off because I've watched them all poop and they looked normal. They are only eating chick starter and we made a large sized brooder so they have a good range of tempatures to go from. The temp under the heat lamp is about 80 degrees and they stay a little farther away, so I don't think it's the heat. I bought some tetracycline and mixed it in with their water with some jello today incase they have something. The brooder is clean and lined with that corn cob litter for birds and small animals. I change their water at least once a day (usually twice), and they haven't had any food other that the starter. We had one die after the first couple of days that we had it, so now I'm paraniod we will loose the lot of them. They all eat pretty good and are all active. The one I know has diarrhea, I seperated from the rest into a private brooder to prevent possible contanimation to the others.

What could be causing the diarrhea, and what can I do to make sure they all survive?

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Welcome to BYC and the world of chickens!

I'm wondering if perhaps you are mistaking cecal poop for diarrhea. All chicks, and chickens, produce a cecal poop every 10? poops or so. It is dark, runny and smells horrible. Plus it has a very sticky consistency so it's harder to clean up. The good thing is, it's normal. Do you think that could be what you are noticing?

 

[hen howitzer]

Thanks, I think you might be right. After watching them during the weekend a saw a lot of regular poop, then there would be one like you described. After loosing a little chick a week or so after we got them has made me a little paraniod (that and reading all the stuff on this emergencies/diseases/injuries and cures page). Still working on the coop, but the weather isn't cooperating with me at all. When are they old enough to put into the outside coops? They are getting big and our brooder is looking a little tight for the six of them already. They still have fuzzy heads and some necks, but feathers everywhere else.