Chicks dying after they "recovered" from URI?

brsand6520

In the Brooder
Feb 17, 2018
17
14
29
Georgia
I posted this on another forum and just figured out that there was one specifically for illness.

I just got 25 black copper marans chicks and I've never had so many troubles with a batch of chicks. When I brought them home they were ranged from 3 weeks old to new hatched. The first night they were here the weather did one of those fun Georgia things where contrary to the weather report the temp outside dropped from 50 to below freezing and they got a little chilled. Brought them inside for a couple of nights and everything seemed kosher but then the older ones in the lot started sneezing and I lost one early on. They got pretty puny but with VetRX, Tylan 50 (0.2 cc x 5 days oral), and Sav-A-Chick in their water, it has been about 2 weeks I think and everyone seemed to have recovered fine. Energy back up, all over the brooder running around like crazy chasing moths, eating and drinking fine, no more sneezing. I just went out to my brooder this morning to find 2 of my biggest chicks dead with no warning and one of my medium sized chicks fluffed up and looking like it's on death's door. Won't eat, won't drink, will barely hold its head up. (Dead since original post) Still, no respiratory systems are back. I'm boiling some eggs right now to see if I can tempt her but I am at a loss. It's been 5 days since the last dose of Tylan, 2 since the last time I put electrolytes in their water. The brooder was cleaned and vinegar'd after the last dose of Tylan. They get new food and water every day. All poop seems normal. No paling of combs. No other symptoms really. Vents are clean. Pine bedding. Currently at 90 degrees with plenty of room to move in and out of the heat. Ideas?
 
fluffed up and looking like it's on death's door. Won't eat, won't drink, will barely hold its head up. (Dead since original post) Still, no respiratory systems are back.

All poop seems normal. No paling of combs. No other symptoms really. Vents are clean. Pine bedding. Currently at 90 degrees with plenty of room to move in and out of the heat. Ideas?

I'm sorry that you lost your chick:hugs

Do you have some photos of your brooder set up, the poop and your chicks? (if you have a red heat lamp, please turn that off for your photos - red light makes it hard to see:))

Even though you have different ages, your brooder still may be too warm. Watch their behavior, is everyone avoiding the warm side like the plaque?

Fluffed up, not eating/drinking makes me think Coccidiosis. Treatment is with Corid which can be found at Tractor Supply in the cattle section.
 
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No pics of sick chicks because.. none of them are acting noticeably sick. Just like the 3 that died this a.m. didnt seem ill yesterday. Its 90 in the box but as you can see they have a great deal of room to get out. Nobody panting etc. I honestly thought the last one that died was acting like it had coccidiosis but no coccidiosis poops at all as far as i can find! Also, they have had both untreated and chick starter with Amprolium in it.
 
Its 90 in the box but as you can see they have a great deal of room to get out. Nobody panting etc. I honestly thought the last one that died was acting like it had coccidiosis but no coccidiosis poops at all as far as i can find! Also, they have had both untreated and chick starter with Amprolium in it.

The entire box is 90F?

I'm sorry, but I still feel that they are too hot. How much ventilation do the have?
Those chicks are feathered, so 90F will be too warm. I also see quite a bit of fluffing up - could be they are trying to cool down, but if they were mine, I would treat for Coccidiosis.

Medicated chick starter has a very small amount of Amprolium, since you have both medicated and non medicated, this would dilute it even further. Symptoms of Coccidiosis include lethargy, not eating/drinking, fluffed up unkempt appearance, huddling, loss of balance and loose stools with mucous or blood. Not all poop will be bloody or mucousy - you will need to go by behavior as well.

Hopefully treatment with Corid and adjusting your temperature, they will start to show signs of improvement.

Just my thoughts.
 
The entire box is 90F?

I'm sorry, but I still feel that they are too hot. How much ventilation do the have?
Those chicks are feathered, so 90F will be too warm.
Just my thoughts.

You can see the picture and see hat the box is on its side and they can move to where I'm standing in the pic which is around 50 degrees this a.m while its 85 directly under the lights in the box. And the only thing feathered on those chicks are their wings and the occasional tail feather sticking out. A few of them are in that ugly stage between feathers. Some of those chicks are 2 weeks old.

I have had coccidiosis in my flocks before. I will start treating them today just because I have no idea what to do from here. I don't see how chicks with no access to the ground, no access to other chickens bm, that are inside a bone dry and frequently cleaned coop, could have gotten it.
 
Chickens are a natural host for the Coccidia protozoa, chicks already have a natural load in their gut. Anytime they ingest their own poop or the other chick's poop they are getting a tiny bit. Chickens build a resistance overtime. Since they were sick with a respiratory illness, then likely their immune system was weakened enough for an overload. (secondary reaction)

Coccidiosis is also in soil, dust, etc. If you are using the same brooder system for all your chicks, then they are encountering oocysts from previous broods as well.

In case you need it, here is dosing information for Corid

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Lost another one today. :/ Hopefully the Corid kicks in and works. I've only had 1 run in with coccidiosis and it wiped out nearly a whole flock of Barred Rocks lightening fast. Never affected any of my other birds, just the BR's. I never have troubles with the birds i hatch myself, it's always the ones I bring home. *grumpy face*
 
Update: no deaths since last post. Several of the medium sized ones now look distinctly coccidiosis-y now. They're all humped up like quail. Probably going to have to use a syringe to make them drink throughout the day. Fed the rest of them chick starter with yoghurt and some live mealworms and they are acting as frisky as ever. Stealing worms and running away from each other with their prizes.
 
For the ones that are the worst off, give them a direct oral drench in addition to making the Corid water the only source of drinking water. Here's the dosage for the drench: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/corid-oral-drench-instructions.1211991/

Just in case you need help on direct dosing chickens, you may find this helpful too. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...er-construction-check-back-for-updates.73335/

I'm glad that you haven't lost any more - I hope the Corid kicks in and they get better soon. Thank you for the update.
 

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