chicks with diarrhea

[sstevens]

I received my chicks 3 weeks ago 2 were DOA and 2 more died the next day. Some of them have had diarrhea since then ,I talked to my local feed store and they suggested i use medicated chick starter because they thought it might be cocc I then talked to the hatchery and they suggested I put them on duramycin . They are all very active and eating drinking and growing but still have diarrhea and I don't think thats normal and don't know what to do.

 

[MotherJean]

No, diarrhea is not normal and I would be concerned too, especially since you've lost 4 chicks. I am surprised, however, to hear that chicks are active, eating and drinking. Sick chicks go downhill really fast, especially with dehydration caused by diarrhea. Normally, they would be lethargic. So...I have a few questions: Is this your first experience brooding chicks? If so, do you know what normal chick poo looks like? Is the poo always really watery or just sometimes? Did you start them on the Duramycin, as the hatchery suggested?

 

[elmo]

One out of every ten or so droppings will be a cecal poop, which is very wet, smelly and sometimes even fizzy. This is normal.

 

[sstevens]

It is not my first time but i think i'm more observent now . I did start them on the duramycin and gave it for 7 days I am not sure if it really helped because I was still noticing runny poop while they were being treated . They just finished yesterday and today I think they are about the same. As for knowing what normal poop looks like I'm not really sure . I have done some research and it may be cecal poop I would just feel better if someone with more experence told me what they thought.

Thanks

Steph

 

[dahlia333]

Here's the 'poop' link a lot of people refer to on this board..

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

 

[Alabama]

I just got 4 chicks given to me and I noticed weird looking poop this morning, but I think after looking at the link above, it might be o.k. this is the first time I have had incubated chicks. A bit nervous about caring for them. I'm used to having a mama to take care of them. Glad you all are around for feedback.

 

[debjo]

Here's the 'poop' link a lot of people refer to on this board..

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

Thanks for the poop link and the discussion. One of my chicks has runny poop this morning (I found out the hard way when she was crawling on my pants) but is otherwise in good shape. The photos of normal poo was hugely helpful!

 

[KatieGB]

Thanks so much for this link to the good poo bad poo. My chicks are three weeks old and I am noticing some smelly cecal poop[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif], and was worried that my chicks were getting ill. [/FONT]

 

[ydkjenn]

Do baby chicks 'pee'? I just got 6 baby chicks from a feed store, about 4-5 days old. Their poos are sometimes runny, and sometimes they look like they're peeing. None of the ones at the above link matches what some of theirs looks like. Other stools are normal. They're on medicated feed, and electrolytes in their water. I'm thinking of cutting out the electrolytes after another day or so when they've settled down.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Do baby chicks 'pee'? I just got 6 baby chicks from a feed store, about 4-5 days old. Their poos are sometimes runny, and sometimes they look like they're peeing. None of the ones at the above link matches what some of theirs looks like. Other stools are normal. They're on medicated feed, and electrolytes in their water. I'm thinking of cutting out the electrolytes after another day or so when they've settled down.

Chicken urine is white (urates) and it comes out kind of on top of the poo...mixed with it, so to speak. There should not be watery poo in chickens- that is diarrhea (unless it is a very hot day and they are guzzling water or you have fed them lots of fruit).

There is a caecal poo about every 8 poos (normal), that is runny but not watery...see the poo page:
http://chat.allotment.org/index.php?topic=17568.0

So if they are having watery poo at that age you may consider coccidiosis, but this comes from soil. So there would need to have been soil organisms transferred into the brooder by your hands etc.

Here are signs so you can monitor for them:
lethargic
won't eat or drink
stands in corner by himself
feathers fluffed up as if cold
eyes closed
bloody or plain diarrhea
death can occur within 24 hours...it is emergency

I treat with Corid (amprolium) 9.6% solution, 9.5 ml per gallon of drinking water, mixing new solution daily, for 5 days. It is in the cattle section of the feed store and is approved for poultry but not labeled for poultry on the label. In the medicated feed, there is such a tiny amount of anti-coccidial medicine that it may not prevent it.

So, if they were my chicks and were truly having watery poo they would be on Corid. I have had quite the problem with coccidiosis here and it definitely can occur in the brooder with no contact with soil with transfer of the cocci into the brooder on equipment/hands.