Cocci

[dlolato]

Recently had a terrible experience that I would like to share in order to prevent others from having the same. In our area, there are several individuals that purchase eggs from local breeders and hatch the eggs and sell the chicks. Unfortunately, I do not feel, based on my experience, that they are too particular as to where they purchase their eggs, or from whom.

I purchased forty eight week old Rhode Island Reds, which at first appearance, seemed healthy, and within in two days, began loosing one, two, or three every day. Called in our Vet, and he said they had Cocci and prescribed medication, but advised to destroy the remaining flock. He felt that if any survived, they would become carriers and their eggs would carry the disease.

By the time I agonized over destroying the remainder of the flock, we were down to eighteen out of the forty. Luckily, we always isolate new birds, otherwise this would have been completely disasterous. This by far, has been the hardest thing I have ever had to do, and do not wish it on anyone!!!!!

 

[saladin]

Don't mean to sound rude but your Vet gave the most stupid advice I have ever heard!

All crap eaters (chickens, dogs, etc.) can/will have cocci; that is why we use medicated feed chick starter.

What you need/needed is Sulmet. When you see signs of cocci you just add it to the water for 4 days and it will be cleared up.
saladin

 

[M To The Maxx]

Quote:
It least you found out what was wrong with your chickens. I am glad it is gone! We never found out what killed 16 of our chickens. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2931015#p2931015

 

[shay20]

I am really sorry you went through that.

The vet made no sense at all. If they recommened on you destroying the rest then why did they give medication to you for them.
Cocci can be cleared up within 4 days with the med called Sulmet or Corrid.

Any bird can get it, just from eating poop or food that is in there poop. That is one reason why food should not be given on the ground, but put in a container to eat.
It can also come from to much dampness in there bedding and poops.

A wild bird can have it and poop in the chicken run and then they can get it.

 

[pamperedpoultry]

I agree thats the craziest thing I've ever heard. Most all chickens carry the cocci germ. Thats the reason you need to feed medicated feed and keep their feeders clean of litter. (not sayin you didn't do that) in some cases they still can get it expecially if they are on the ground.

Correct me if I'm wrong, after chickens get to a certain age their amune to cocci right??

 

[dlolato]

Thank-you all for your responses!! The reason he gave me the medication was that I was originallly said that I would not destroy the remainder of the flock. That is when he gave me the medication, but there was no improvement. He did confirm that healthy chickens can be cured with medication, but his diagnosis was that these were carriers, which apparently to my understanding, are much different.

I had never experienced anything like this, so anyone with information would be helpful. Our chickens are in prestine environment, eat medicated feed, are heated in the winter and eat lots of supplements (veggies, scraps, grass, mealworms, etc.) The isolation pens have shavings on the pen floor that are changed regularly, water and feed changed completely twice a day.

I am still devasted over this whole thing and would appreciate anyone who has experienced anything like this to tell me their outcome.

 

[saladin]

pam.,
Not entirely; in extremely wet warm weather you will see older birds get an "over-load" of cocci: not often but it does/can happen. Also, we bringing in new birds (I'm talking about mature birds) to your place they can develop cocci because what is in your ground might be a different form/strain than they are immune too. saladin

 

[pamperedpoultry]

I've had good results with my cases I've never used meds, but others on here have. I usually just bleached the area mine was in and moved their feeders and waterers up so they couldn't get into and Added apple cider vinegar to their water.

What was the symptoms of your chickens??

 

[dlolato]

They were all eating and drinking, but would peep in a distressed sound continuously. As time went by, their eyes were swollen and they were fluffed up and would become lethargic and then dye. When I would hear them start the distressful peeping, I would take them out of the pen, and isolate them individually in a smaller area, give them Vitamin "E", apple cider water (which I give all of my chickens regularly), monitor their input and when they refused to eat, I was trying to even feed them offering scrambled eggs, oatmeal, yogurt. I had one that was looking hopeful, that had been isolated by herself for five days, and then one morning her eyes were swollen shut, and that evening she died.

 

[pamperedpoultry]

Ok, maybe the vet is not so crazy the swollen eyes is not a sign of cocci. He had the part about being a carrier right if it was a respitory disease which the swollen eyes is a sign of, just not the name of the disease. Respitory diseaes which there are quite a few it could be leave chickens carriers in most cases. If you plan on keeping the survivors the best thing is to have an all in all out system. No New chickens should come to your place or leave until the ones you have are culled or died of old age. That way you will not be risking others to the diseases. Some of those diseases are even transmitted through the egg. I hate you've had to go through this.

some signs of cocci are blood in the stool and hudling near a heat source and fluffed up, but swollen eyes is a for sure sign expecially if they are dieing of a respitory disease