Chicken being lazy, slow moving, extra docile

[OrganicChicken]

I have a 12 week old gold-laced wyandotte, who is usually very fast moving in everything she does, she flaps around wildly when I feed everyone and usually gets very excitable. Yesterday, I thought my chickens were being very lazy in general (all of them) today, I notice most of them are back to normal, but my gold laced wyandotte is still sitting around not moving around much. I picked her up and she didn't resist me at all, and usually she flaps around and tries to run away. Shes been sitting there not moving much, didn't eat when I called fed them this morning and wouldn't even drink water until I brought it next to her. It's almost like she is moving in slow motion. She's been vaccinated for merek's and shows no other outward signs of illness. The only thing I can think is that shes getting too old for the starter chicken crumbles I have been feeding them, but would that really affect her like that?

 

[cafarmgirl]

She's not to old for starter crumbles, they can be fed that right up to point of lay. At this age I would be most concerned about coccidiosis and would run a course of Corid asap.

 

[OrganicChicken]

She's not to old for starter crumbles, they can be fed that right up to point of lay. At this age I would be most concerned about coccidiosis and would run a course of Corid asap.

Thanks for the advice, I am looking up info about cocidosis right now and it the symptoms sound similar but thankfully no diarheah or blood yet. Looking into the Corid. Is an organic alternative available? How urgent is this? I was planning to go to the store tomorrow because i need new bedding and was going to switch to a new, better grower formula for weeks 8-20. Will also pick up Corid while we are there.. I can't carry it all myself and my partner is off work then we we're planning to go together.

 

[OrganicChicken]

just went out and noticed the larger one has the tell-tale yellow foamy poop going to the store now....

 

[MrsBachbach]

just went out and noticed the larger one has the tell-tale yellow foamy poop going to the store now....

FYI, dosage is 9.5 ml per gallon for 5 to 7 days. I'd treat all of them. Avoid treats or any other supplements while dosing them. Change water daily.

 

[OrganicChicken]

just got home from the feed store, put the corid in the water but i cant get them to drink it... any ideas for hand feeding the medication to birds that wont drink?

 

[cafarmgirl]

just got home from the feed store, put the corid in the water but i cant get them to drink it... any ideas for hand feeding the medication to birds that wont drink?

Get an eye dropper and give them some of the medicated water every hour or so the first day or so if possible, otherwise they are unlikely to drink enough to be effective. Just go slow when you are giving it to them, little at a time and watch to see that they swallow, just dribble it in the side of the beak. They usually perk up pretty quick and start drinking on their own in that time frame.

If you have the 9.6% liquid you can also just give them a drop of it straight a couple of times, this may be a more effective way to go about it if you have to go to work or otherwise cannot be there to give the water more often. Giving the medicated water just helps keep them hydrated a little better as well but if you can snap them out of it and get them feeling better by giving the liquid a couple times then they'll start drinking on their own again soon anyway.

Good luck, hope they improve quickly.

 

[Eggcessive]

This link may be of interest to you on giving medicine to chickens and other poultry: http://www.hopkinslivestock.com/oral_dosing_article.htm

 

[OrganicChicken]

so just gave them some of the medicated water in a dropper, by mouth as well as puttng some of the medicated water in the food since they seemed to enjoy that and gobble that up... tomorrow morning im going to give the worst off ones a single drop of concentrated medication just to make sure they get it in them. My wyandottes seem most affected, the other ones undoubtedly have it considering how they all live together- but seem less affected by it.

i couldn't get new bedding and food on my bike with me so we are going back to the feed store tommorow to get food and new bedding.

are their any sterilization procedures I should follow? Tomorrow I am planning on moving the run away from the infected area and scrubbing the coop with 3% hydrogen peroxide.

thank you to everyone for the advice, today has been very stressful.

 

[cafarmgirl]

You don't really need to do any sterilizing but if you want to do so use ammonia. Bleach does not kill the cocci protozoa and I have no idea if peroxide does. The coccidia protozoa lives in the soil, it's pretty much everywhere so it's not possible to eradicate it. Keeping pens clean etc. helps and is always a good idea of course but there's not a way to remove it from the environment. As your birds get older they will develop resistance to the strains that are in their environment. After they've been treated and recovered from this outbreak it's unlikely you'll see it again. Although if you ever bring in any new birds or move your birds to another property it's always a good idea to watch closely for an outbreak since they can be exposed to a strain that is new to them and that they have no resistance to. Birds that are ill and have lowered immunity due to some other reason may also be more apt to brew a case of coccidiosis.

Good luck with your birds, don't stress! Coccidiosis is easily cleared up if it's treated right away and to be honest, if I had to choose between that and any of the other stuff chickens can come down with...I'll take coccidiosis any day lol!