Chicks are dropping like flies! Cocci?

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Okay, I have them on sulmet and I went ahead and picked up a bag of mediated starter.

- Can I give them both the sulmet and the medicated feed?

- I have a bunch of half grown chicks most of whom have been outside since day one. Should I add sulmet to their water as a precaution?

- I haven't been using medicated starter up until now, working off the theory of only use drugs when needed. Should I go ahead and start using it on all the chicks started in the house since I know there is now a problem outside?

Should I also get some Coccid to have on hand in case the sulmet doesn't work?

Thanks for the help. One more is looking really iffy, but the rest are still zippy. Let's hope they all make it.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

One more question- Should I add a bowl of coop dirt to the inside brooder as a way of boosting the indoor brooded chicks immunity?

thanks!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Morning update- three of the six have died, but the one that looked so iffy yesterday was noticeably more alert this morning. The other two are showing no sign of trouble at all.

Still hoping someone can help with my questions. I went ahead and added medicated food AND the sulmet. I have not added sulmet to anybody else's water yet.

Thoughts?

 

[pips&peeps]

I think I heard someone say do not mix sulmet and amprolium.

I would just use the amprolium, 9.5 cc/ml per gallon of water.

There is not enough amprolium in medicated feed to help them once they are infected, it is a preventative kind of thing.

Clean the area with Oxine as it will kill the oocytes and keep everything as dry as possible.

 

[PurpleChicken]

pips&peeps :

I think I heard someone say do not mix sulmet and amprolium.

I would just use the amprolium, 9.5 cc/ml per gallon of water.

There is not enough amprolium in medicated feed to help them once they are infected, it is a preventative kind of thing.

Clean the area with Oxine as it will kill the oocytes and keep everything as dry as possible.

I totally agree but wouldn't bother cleaning anything. Give them a cycle of amprol or sulmet and they should be ok. Then keep them on medicated feed until 6 weeks or so.

I don't use medicated feed at all so my treatment would only be amprol or sulmet for a week at or after the first signs of cocci.​

 

[kathyinmo]

Here's another link about cocci, in cas you would like to read it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=213541&p=1


Sending you well wishes!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Thanks, ya'll! The weak one seemed much better by this evening. The other two are still acting fine.

I don't have any oxine, but I have a bottle of Stall Safe. I assume it would work as well.

I have never used medicated feed with my chicks. I'm thinking perhaps it is a good idea now at least for the babies brooded inside? I hate to use it with the outdoor hatched chicks as the adult hens have access to that food as well.

Is it a good idea to use some outside dirt in the indoor brooder? Would that in essence "vaccinate" the indoor chicks?

Thanks for the help!

 

[PurpleChicken]

I've heard different opinions about putting the dirt in the brooder. In my opinion there is no way to regulate the amount of cocci you expose them to.

As for the outside chicks they start developing a tolerance almost immediately.

In your case the birds are old enough and have already had a high level of exposure. I don't see what medicated feed would do now.

It's all a personal choice to me. Some people swear by medicated and other people like me choose to limit chemicals unless absolutely necessary.

 

[Brindlebtch]

Best wishes for your chicks, CityGirlintheCountry. I hope the rest of them make it.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Yeah, PC. I have hesitated to use medicated food working off the premise of "only medicate when needed". Finding little dead chicks though is heartbreaking. I'm still not convinced all the way about the medicated food. If it will prevent unnecessary loss though perhaps it is a good idea. Clearly I have a cocci problem. These guys went down fast! I had no indication that there was anything wrong and then, BAM! two were dead. Number three died before I had time to figure out what was up. Now I know, but still... I hate to risk them.
Dunno... like most of my chicken decisions I'll have to agonize over it for a while.

I'm starting to be real neurotic about illness and biosecurity. I have been lucky this past year to have no real problems. Now things are starting to pop up and I am re-evaluating some previous choices.

Sigh... I get so darn attached.

Brindle- thanks for the good wishes.