/ Register

  1. If this is your first time on BYC, we suggest you start with one of these three options:
    Raising Chickens Chicken Coops Join BYC
    If you're already a member of our community, click here to login & click here to learn what's new!

Cocci vs. intestinal shedding?

Discussion in 'Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures' started by GardenState38, Aug 21, 2011.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Aug 21, 2011 #1
    GardenState38

    GardenState38 Chillin' With My Peeps

    288
    12
    111
    Apr 13, 2011
    This morning, as my DH and I were watching the 5-week old chicks, my heart just about stopped when my Wyandotte made a dropping that looked like clear water with blood in it--a few beads of ruby-red blood clots. The next poop she made was also diarrhea-like and contained blood.

    I separated her and monitored her for her next droppings, and the next 2 were completely normal--firm, greenish-brown with white urate.
    My question is, can I rule out cocci because of the normal droppings? Or was the bloody dropping cecal and a symptom of cocci that manifests in the cecum?
    There are really no other symptoms in the flock--all are active, eating and drinking.
    I give them kefir or yogurt every morning with some mashed fig, and they get ACV in their water.
    They are on medicated feed--I know that this does not gurantee that they won't develop cocci.
    Should I start them on Sulmet? Wait and see? I'm definitely keeping an eye on them...LOL they've been my obsession since they came into my care!

    I've seen the poop chart, but I think the blood was definitely darker than what was described as shed lining-that's what worries me.
     
  3. Aug 21, 2011 #2
    speckledhen

    speckledhen Intentional Solitude Premium Member

    74,218
    2,448
    666
    Feb 3, 2007
    Blue Ridge Mtns. of North Georgia
    a few beads of ruby-red blood clots

    Bright red usually means coccidiosis. Pinkish tissue like droppings usually are intestinal lining. At their age, the prime age for cocci, I'd guess cocci and treat them for it. Not every dropping will have blood in it, even when they have cocci, so some normal and some bloody would not be unusual. Preferred treatment is Corid (concentrated amprolium) which is much easier on their gut than Sulmet, but if you cannot find Corid liquid or powder, or Cocci-Rid powder, Sulmet would be okay. It just is harder on their gut and may keep the bleeding going longer than Corid would allow.​
     
  5. Aug 21, 2011 #3
    GardenState38

    GardenState38 Chillin' With My Peeps

    288
    12
    111
    Apr 13, 2011
    Thank-you!
    I wasn't able to find Corid on my feed store shelves when I was doing my stocking of precautionary items.
    Maybe if I ask..
    Is it worth waiting until tomorrow when I can possibly get Corid, or just start them on Sulmet now?
    As I said, no listlessness or fluffing--even in the one that passed the bloody droppings.
    Does this mean it's early, or a mild case?

    Should I still keep them on medicated feed if I treat them with either Corid or sulmet?
    Could they get too much Amprolium between the Corid and medicated feed?
    (I do have some non-medicated feed on hand that I could give them.)

    I was afraid it would be Cocci--it's been sooo humid and rainy here this past week or so. And I've been putting them out in an outside pen for a few hours every Saturday--maybe they picked up something in the soil?
    I'm meticulous about their brooder--can't believe this [​IMG]
     
  7. Aug 21, 2011 #4
    speckledhen

    speckledhen Intentional Solitude Premium Member

    74,218
    2,448
    666
    Feb 3, 2007
    Blue Ridge Mtns. of North Georgia
    Quote:If you can get Corid tomorrow, that'd be fine, IMO. If it will be longer, start them on Sulmet. I've never seen fluffing except in one case of cocci, even with bloody droppings. Could be just starting, if it is indeed cocci. Their age is what makes me say cocci, 4-8 weeks is the prime time for that. There are other causes of blood in poop, like a heavy worm load, but for their age and limited exposure to the outdoors, I seriously would not worry about worms at this point.

    I've never had anything except medicated feed to use and they've continued that while on Corid. It's not going to hurt since the dose in the feed is so tiny anyway, though technically, you are not supposed to feed them that while using Corid. Yes, they picked it up in the soil and it's very, very common. Has nothing to do with how you kept the brooder, trust me!
     

BackYard Chickens is proudly sponsored by