Cocci or ??

[MrsM74]

Hello,
I have 7 pullets that I received from Murray McMurray as 4 week olds, a little over one week ago. This is our first experience with owning chickens so I don't have much knowledge to pull from. The pullets were all vaccinated for both Mareks and Cocci at the hatchery. I feed them medicated chick feed. They were given Save a Chick electrolytes and pro-biotics for the first 4 days I had them. They are in a 50 gallon galvanized tank with a 250 watt heat lamp at one end and have wood stall pellets as bedding. They are indoors in an unheated room in our house that is not drafty but does stay cooler than the rest of the house. They sleep in a pile under the lamp at night but do not stay under it during the day. I have noticed that one of the barred rock pullets has been sleepier than the others. Additionally, her back looks odd, with her tail tucked down and the area above her tail is sort of humped looking. I put her in a box by herself for a few hours today so I could try to see her droppings. One was very runny (first one in the box) and the second one was nice and solid, normal greenish brown coloring. She does not have feathers under her wings, the skin is still smooth and pink. Is it possible she has cocci even though she has been vaccinated and is on medicated food? If not, what other illnesses may cause her to act lethargic and odd looking feathers?

 

[eggbert420]

Did her poo look black or ha e blood in it?

 

[MrsM74]

No, it was normal looking. Had a tubular shape brownish green poop with a little white streak on the top. The first poop was a white smear with a very runny watery stain across the box, but that was not long after I put her in the box so am thinking it was probably so watery due to stress of being separated from the others. I let her out of the box and onto the floor, where she picked at chicken food that was spilled. I fed her a little scrambled egg, but she only ate a few bites. Within a few seconds of her eating the scrambled egg, she had the normal poop. So, I put her back in with the others to help keep her stress level down and make sure she has good access to the heat.

 

[MrsM74]

I also went ahead and added electrolytes and probiotics back into the water for the night while I try to learn more and decide how to proceed.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello,
I have 7 pullets that I received from Murray McMurray as 4 week olds, a little over one week ago. This is our first experience with owning chickens so I don't have much knowledge to pull from. The pullets were all vaccinated for both Mareks and Cocci at the hatchery. I feed them medicated chick feed. They were given Save a Chick electrolytes and pro-biotics for the first 4 days I had them. They are in a 50 gallon galvanized tank with a 250 watt heat lamp at one end and have wood stall pellets as bedding. They are indoors in an unheated room in our house that is not drafty but does stay cooler than the rest of the house. They sleep in a pile under the lamp at night but do not stay under it during the day. I have noticed that one of the barred rock pullets has been sleepier than the others. Additionally, her back looks odd, with her tail tucked down and the area above her tail is sort of humped looking. I put her in a box by herself for a few hours today so I could try to see her droppings. One was very runny (first one in the box) and the second one was nice and solid, normal greenish brown coloring. She does not have feathers under her wings, the skin is still smooth and pink. Is it possible she has cocci even though she has been vaccinated and is on medicated food? If not, what other illnesses may cause her to act lethargic and odd looking feathers?

Hi

Welcome To BYC

She does look hunched up for sure. How is her crop - is it full, hard, squishy, any sour smell on her breath?
If you have offered anything other than chick starter to eat - then offer grit (crushed granite) free choice as well.

She looks ill, so you really may want to start her on some Corid for Cocci. Vaccines don't always "take" and can be missed. From what I have read/researched/learned is that if chicks are vaccinated, feeding medicated chick starter basically "nullifies" the vaccine.

Even if vaccinated and/or feeding medicated chick starter, chicks can still get an overload of Cocci. If she were mine, I would start her on Corid. This can be found at your local feed store in the cattle section. Dosage is 1 1/2 teaspoons Corid powder per gallon or 2 teaspoons of 9.6% Corid liquid per gallon.
Give for 5-7 days - make sure this is the ONLY water available during that time period. Mix a fresh batch at least once a day.
After you finish treatment offer some poultry vitamins and probiotics/plain yogurt.

Watch to see that she is staying hydrated and offer her some wet food.

Keep us posted.

 

[MrsM74]

I did get some Corid yesterday but have been waiting to give it until I heard back from some more experienced chicken owners. Thank you. All I have is medicated feed right now. I live in a small community and not sure if I will be able to get non-medicated feed today - is it ok to start the Corid while they are on medicated feed?

 

[MrsM74]

By the way, this morning she is up and walking around with the others. I was concerned last night when I checked on her around midnight - she had moved by herself down to the non-heated end of the tub while the others were all cuddled together under the lamp.

 

[MrsM74]

I did notice one very small dropping that looked like it could be blood. It looked like it was all red, but it was also under the lamp. I was taking the waterer out when I saw it and when I went back in, they had already kicked it into the sawdust and I could no longer find it. I saw one of the EE have some very watery poop and the other EE is acting lethargic this morning as well. I went ahead and put the Corid in and will look for non-medicated feed today in case I need to switch them. The BR in my original post ate when I hand fed her this morning and I saw both her and the EE who is acting droopy take several drinks from the medicated water. I am pretty sure everybody drank this morning.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If you can't find non-medicated starter that's fine. Most have Amprolium in a very small "dosage" - this is what Corid is (Amprolium) so it won't hurt to used medicated starter with the Corid. Corid (Amprolium) is a mild medication, so you don't have to worry too much about "overdosing".

Make a fresh batch of water everyday - if one seems droopy, try to encourage her to drink or give her the water with a syringe or feeding tube. Keep the water and feed on the opposite end of your brooder so it stays cool (not under the lamp).

How warm are you keeping the brooder? At their age, they really should not need much supplemental heat unless they are sick. You don't want to take heat away completely of course, but in the next few days start when they start to get better, begin raising/reducing the amount of heat the are getting.

Keep us posted.

 

[MrsM74]

Today is day 2 on the Corid and everybody is more or less the same. The droopy pullet seems to be a little more alert. Everybody is eating. I went ahead and left the heat lamp off while I was working today but turned it back on tonight. The room has no heat and is still getting down in the upper 30's here. They all pile under the lamp at night, so I don't think they are too warm. Tomorrow I am going to see what I can affix it to that is a little higher and start taking it further away from them. Everybody's poop looks more or less normal, only I am seeing occasionally watery poop here and there.