Chicks treated for Cocci but have questions???

[mamayicken]

Good Morning,
Yesterday I woke up to find my two 3 1/2 week old (barred rock) chicks with blood all over their crate. It appeared to be in their stool and I even watched one poop bright red. I cleaned it up, they seemed fine just a little sleepy but I just woke them up. I had just moved them the day before to the new crate with clean everything but had not washed the metal crate itself, just the bottom. They had appreared happy and active. The crate had previously held older girls that are transitioning to the coop outside. It turns out their previous brooder had a little dried blood but not this much.

I had to go on duty (firefighter) so I left, completely worried about my babies. I went straight to this website when at work in between calls and started to read. I figured out that it was more than likely Coccidioses and realized when I got them 3 weeks ago I had not been feeding medicated feed. My other girls 8 weeks old now had been eating organic feed when I had finished the medicated so I just gave the new girls the same. (My FAIL, we have been so busy working on the coop and I wasn't expecting to get these girls. A friend gave them to me in a panic because they were not accepted as adoptees to a broody hen) They were from a reputable local hatchery but I never asked if immunized but that is the only kind my friend gets so....

Anyway, I panicked about treating my girls, called the feed store and they had Sulmet and suggested I still give medicated feed. I had a friend that I now owe dearly, rush to pick up stuff, run to my house and my husband ran home from duty (police officer in squad car-but no lights They cleaned everything gave medicated water and feed and reported back to me that they seemed to be eating and drinking so that I could continue to do my job. This morning I came home from 24 hour duty to two happy, awake, blabbering girls and no noticeble blood, in fact very normal poop. I cleaned everything again, made new sulmet water and made a mush with medicated food, yogurt and a little soy cream and sugar water which they gobbled up and are very loud about wanting more.

My questions are.......Did we get them through the worst of it? How long do I give sulmet? Is is okay to give the medicated food now or will it hurt? And should I do anything else.

I read so many posts yesterday that I was pretty sure what they had but everyone had different situations and suggestions how to get them through it.

Very relieved they appear to be better , Thank you in advance for any suggestions

 

[speckledhen]

Corid is MUCH better than Sulmet. Sulmet will not treat all types of cocci-there are 9 known types and some mutated nastier ones. I think you give Sulmet at full strength for 2 days, then half strength for 5, but I haven't used it in years so don't recall.

Medicated feed is of no use when they already have cocci, but it won't hurt to continue it if you're giving Sulmet or Corid. Sulmet is harder on their intestines than Corid, which is concentrated amprolium, the same med in medicated feed, but in a higher dosage.

Medicated feed also never guarantees they won't get cocci. Many folks feed non-med feed and never see cocci. Giving a dirtbath in the brooder from hatch is the best way to avoid cocci I know. Chicks raised with broody hens rarely, if ever, get cocci, since they peck in mama's poop and she has immunity, plus, they are on dirt much faster than brooder raised chicks, generally.

Start giving probiotics like plain active culture yogurt to help replace their good gut bacteria. Sulmet will kill that off.

 

[mamayicken]

Thank you so much. Should I switch to the Corid if they seem to be better. I just looked and no blood. I eat Chobani which has the live cultures, I will keep doing a little of that.

thanks so much!!!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Did they have any other symptoms of Cocci other than the bloody poop? I canned beets a few days ago and gave my chickens the cooked skins. The next morning, you would have thought they were pooping blood.

It is highly unlikely that they would have a reaction to the new brooder that quickly, but you did mention there was some red poop before you moved them. I'm just wondering if this was really Cocci or if they had just eaten something that gave them red poop?

 

[mamayicken]

Also, I guess my eight week olds have built up an ammunity? they have been taking Dirt baths for a few weeks now. They are not together yet. I am not sure how to do that either, eight week olds and 3.5 week olds ????.

Morgan and Blair
This is them two hours ago, watching me clean and change water. Very active and good balancers It is hard to see the other one but they look almost exactly alike. Named after GA towns

 

[mamayicken]

They have not eaten anything but feed and water. I tried a little of the yogurt that night and they seemed to like it but didnt want to do too much. I did notice today in my cleaning frenze that we had left one container of meal worms outside and there appears to be mold in it. They had eaten some of those and like them although the lady at the feed store told me they are too young for meal worms. My other girls ate those after a week or so too and no trouble. I get so confused with some of the advice. I threw those meal worms out. Maybe they got something from that and are better?

 

[mamayicken]

I also have Braggs ACV. Should I try some of that? how much and for everybody.

We have been experiencing TS Debby down here in FL and everything is wet an muggy, Not sure if that has anything to do with anything but I wish Debby would move on. I need to finish my coop/run

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, extra wet periods when they are that age can exacerbate the emergence of coccidiosis.

Just make sure when you give yogurt to chickens, it's plain, no sugar. Sugar will probably give them the runs, something they really don't need right now.

They're not too young for meal worms. The lady didn't know what she was talking about. They certainly should never eat anything with mold on it, but that wouldn't cause blood. It would cause crop issues, though, like sour crop.

If they are doing fine, finish your round of Sulmet and wait and see. If they seem to be having a relapse, then use the Corid. No need to switch in midstream.

 

[mamayicken]

You are my chicken guru!!!!
Thank you

 

[speckledhen]

Honey, I'm no guru, just more experience with this stuff is all. Glad to help.