Chicks dying can't figure out why PLEASE HELP!!!

[lotzahenz]

Here is what I'd do:

Get the Sulmet liquid and add it to the water, as the only water source
Give each chick a drop of Polyvisol baby vitamins right in the beak/back of mouth
Switch feeds to something medicated. I love Dumor that's not medicated, but you need the cocci meds. sorry. Purina has one, go with the better grade, higher protein
Make sure they are warm and dry and clean your brooder out well, replace bedding
You should use a bleach type product once it is cleaned before new bedding, cocci are in the ground/bedding
Chicks are healthier on wire, but it is not natural and not as warm, but it might help you out to put the in a warm cage with NO bedding, the water stays cleaner and they stay drier and no ammonia build up nor cocci to hang around.

This is so frustrating, and here with all the unusual rain we are getting, cocci is bound to grow out of control. Good luck with your chicks, you can buy liquid Vitamins at a drug store or Wal-mart, they won't hurt if you don't over do it. The polyvisol is a safe bet as it is for babies, just a drop will do (it comes with a dropper).

Edited to add more chicken wisdom gained by my mistakes:

In the future, it may be best to give your chicks water by the nipple method. However, I am not happy with them as I Know they don't drink as much, but maybe I have not given them a real chance, I keep adding regular water to the pens as well and they prefer to drink from that. I like the NEW cup waterers better, but don't have any yet. Sold at Murray McMurry.
I would now switch now though.
Heft your birds: Do they feel light and weightless for their size? If so, you have dehydrated birds and they can dehydrate in a day or two, and an hour or two for young chicks. I have tried to give fluids without much luck. Chicks will drown if you force feed them water, maybe I just do it wrong. ONLY the keepers drown though (Murphy's Law)
Cocci is so common, it is the reason most chick feed is medicated.

 

[pips&peeps]

First off do not give birds you are treating for cocci any vitamins. Wait until after treatment.

Secondly, bleach will not kill cocci oocytes.

I would take one of your chicks in for necropsy so you know what you are dealing with.

There are many possible problems that could be at work here:

cocci
vitamin deficiency
botchulism
mareks

If you want to sterlize the area, use oxine.

 

[blitz1027]

Quote:
nope she was treating with an antibiotic for a month not corrid or sulmet....still sounds like cocci the drunkeness is weakness in the chick-

Well I have some sulmet as well and we have changed out the water with some mixed with it.

As far as the dumor feed recall I haven't heard anything but next time I buy feed I will make sure not to get it. I will try something else

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

pips&peeps :

First off do not give birds you are treating for cocci any vitamins. Wait until after treatment.

Secondly, bleach will not kill cocci oocytes.

I would take one of your chicks in for necropsy so you know what you are dealing with.

There are many possible problems that could be at work here:

cocci
vitamin deficiency
botchulism
mareks

If you want to sterlize the area, use oxine.

true, and cant believe no one had mentioned Marek's til now, "drunk" is the main ID factor in Marek's disease.
And yes, Bleach doesnt do squat for cocci, a gas fire wont even kill it.... They are tuff buggers and prevention and treatment is the best route with them. It's present everywhere and will not be gotten rid of...it will always be there, the birds just develop an immunity to it with age. This is why it's SO IMPORTANT to use medicated feed for ALL new birds. Once they reach adult hood, they just no longer are effected by it, unless they get super sick from something else and their immune system is compromised. This is the same with all animals, dogs, cats, livestock etc, the young and the decrepid old are the only one Coccidia seems to bother.

Personally. I dont feel this case is Cocci. If it were, they'd ALL be getting it within a week or so of the first one showing signs. Once one gets it, all are exposed, so it would be a mass all at once style thing is it were that. Could also be Bacterial Enteritis...if so, treat with BMD in the water.

I agree though, all this is a guessing game as there are so many things that can cause similar behavior and loss. If you have A poultry lab near by, do take a couple up there and let them check it out or you could slowly loos all your chicks. Once they diagnose the problem, then you can correctly treat and prevent.​

 

[eggdd]

having a necropsy is the only way to know for sure. and the above poster is correct - without one, it's kind of like a guessing game. i also agree that it doesn't sound like cocci with the birds getting sick so far apart. but you never know, it could be. it also doesn't sound like mareks to me either, but again, you never know. which is the point of a necropsy. your state will do it - and depending on the state - may or may not charge a fee. if one is charged, it's small.

 

[eggdd]

here's the link for the cargill recall of dumor:

http://www.cargill.com/feed/recall/...-dumor-producers-pride-product-list/index.jsp

maybe that has something to do with it? i don't know, just putting it out there.

it does list loss of coordination as a symptom, but doesn't mention anything about death.

 

[pips&peeps]

The OP is in this area and this could also be the problem.

Did I say necropsy??? Please get one done, the mill will have to replace your birds if it is due to the feed.

 

[blitz1027]

I wish I had a place to take a bird to for a necropsy but no one in my area does that sort of thing. I'm treating with sulmet and doing alot of praying. I'm going to do some checking around and try to find someone that does

 

[ChickenCanoe]

pips&peeps :

First off do not give birds you are treating for cocci any vitamins. Wait until after treatment.

Secondly, bleach will not kill cocci oocytes.

I would take one of your chicks in for necropsy so you know what you are dealing with.

There are many possible problems that could be at work here:

cocci
vitamin deficiency
botchulism
mareks

If you want to sterlize the area, use oxine.

Those were my thoughts and if you're only feeding dumor the problem isn't likely a vitamin deficiency. All commercial feeds have the necessary vitamin supplements in them and I've raised lots of flocks on Dumor.

Also the tetracycline won't treat any of the above.
Mareks has no cure only vaccination in the egg or as dayold.
A friend lost an entire flock to what they thought was Coccidia and a necropsy showed it was botulism/bad feed.

I did have to return Dumor feed twice to my local Tractor Supply because it was moldy. The corner of a whole stack of bags had gotten wet - TWICE. I don't think it was the feed manufacturers fault, I think my store stores their feed where there's a roof leak.

The best way to prevent coccidiosis is to keep bedding dry and keep feeders at least half full 24/7​

 

[pips&peeps]

first off change the feed....