chicks dying , help....coccidiosis???? any thoughts....

[Annasg]

Does anyone know where the Red Mites come from? Is it in the bedding, nature or food? I have not found any but it doesnt mean they are not there. If anyone knows where they come from, that would help in eliminating them. Thanks Guys. You are a world of help here. My hen is doing so much better since I started adding the De-Methox to the water. I will try and get some pics soon but her feathers are growing back and she seems to be breathing better. She appears to have lost a little weight. Gonna check with the Vet again in a few days if she is not completely recovered. Will keep you guys posted.

 

[Annasg]

I talked with an old farmer today who told me, and I have NOT tried it, but he said that mixing vinegar with water would kill chicken mites. It also kills red mites. He said to mix it 3/1, 3 parts vinegar and water and spray all the cracks and crevases. He said it was an old time remedy. I am not sure that my birds have red mites or not, cant find any if they do, however, he said that the vinegar will cure many things with birds including red mites. He said just about a tablespoon in their water will help to heal anything that the red mites and caused damage to. He also said that if you have a bird with an open sore, spray vinegar and water mixed on the sore and it will heal. Like I said, I dont know that it works but I am going to try this. Sure cant hurt. I have one hen that has sores and I really gotta get her well so this I will do.

 

[Mandaleeee]

I've had 3 chickens die in the last 2 months, all from the original 4 I got last September. The first one just seemed really lethargic for a few weeks; the second one had severe respiratory issues; and the third one was lethargic one day and dead the next.

I took the last one in for necropsy and they concluded:
Leukemia/lymphoma, consistent with avian myeloid leukosis virus infection, with:
1. Presence of large numbers of neoplastic myeloid cells in the blood vessels and severe, diffuse infiltration of multiple
organs.

I don't know for sure that the 3 deaths were related, but I just wanted to let you know since it was mentioned as a suspect earlier in the thread. They had stopped laying. My last girl from that bunch is still laying, so hopefully she and the newbies are unaffected. However, I won't be getting anymore just in case since it's contagious and has no treatment.

 

[megan805]

Hello I recently purchesed 17 silkie chicks from a hatchery and 2 have died they did not receive any vacines and they are on medicated chick starter. I recently gave them elecrolytes and the hatchery told me they need grit with there food they have plenty of warmth that stays 95 degrees. Any suggestions? Any will help the others seem fine but a couple had poo blocking there vents which I removed thanks for your time.

 

[ESofVA]

I wouldn't give them grit yet. Do you use a commercial crumble for them? Try taking the food and running it through a food processor to make the particles smaller. (I use my Magic Bullet!!!) I have found that this is much easier for bantam chicks to eat.
What kind of bedding are you using? I know a ton of people use pine shavings but I autopsied a couple of my dead chicks last year (I found out that they actually had coccidiosis.) Their crops were at least 3/4 full of pine and about 1/4 food. After that I started using hay ... at least it was actually made from something they would naturally eat and get some nutrition in the process!! Just makes sense to me. Pine trees just aren't on the menu for chickens. No offense intended for those that use pine very successfully. I am not intending to say that the pine killed them! It was coccidiosis. I never had anything wrong with a chicken until we moved here. Here I have seen so many people with flocks that get infected with things I never even knew existed! I didn't know what was wrong with them.
If they are on medicated feed, they should not have coccidiosis. From what I understand, they do not have blood in their poo? Some poo does stick to a chick's butt occasionally without there being anything wrong. I get it off gently if it covers the vent. If there is a lot caked all around then that is different.
What other symptoms are you seeing???

 

[megan805]

Thanks ESof VA
I do use a commerical chick starter called nature wise. I do use pine shavenings I will give changing the bedding to hay a change. Other than that they seem very happy peeping and running around its warm out today and they've moved away from the heat lamp and are playing on the other side of the cage. Its a large rabbit cage about 1ft by 3ft. I've had severial chicks both largge breed and bantams but for some reason my silkies are either sick or die.

 

[casportpony]

I agree with ESofVA, I also won't use pine shavings, I use towels in my brooders and change them at least once a day. If you use hay/straw, watch it closely as it gets moldy very fast.

-Kathy

 

[Eggcessive]

I use pine shavings without problems, but for the first 5-7 days, I put them on paper towel. That way I spread the chick crumbles around the feeder until they get the idea what food is and where to find it. The towels are change 2-3 times a day, and by 1 week I switch to shavings. Medicated chick starter doesn't always prevent coccidiosis. Keeping a small bottle of Corid on the shelf for me is better, but I have never had to use it.

 

[casportpony]

I like paper towels, too, but my peachicks need something with more grip or they end up splay-legged, so that's why I use towels.

-Kathy

 

[ESofVA]

Thanks ESof VA
I do use a commerical chick starter called nature wise. I do use pine shavenings I will give changing the bedding to hay a change. Other than that they seem very happy peeping and running around its warm out today and they've moved away from the heat lamp and are playing on the other side of the cage. Its a large rabbit cage about 1ft by 3ft. I've had severial chicks both largge breed and bantams but for some reason my silkies are either sick or die.

I expect the rest of your chicks are fine and I wouldn't worry as long as they are running around playing. I also have mine out today. Actually for the last week except one day it was a bit cool. My chicks are about 3 weeks old? I have them in a large dog crate and I put a hanging light in it for heat at night. I lost a couple but I have 45 not counting 7 older ones.