Coccidia(?) And some Questions about it.

[Jmurcks]

I have several chicks a bit over 5 weeks old.
I have a sneaking suspicion they have coccidia as they act healthy but there are drops of "blood" all over their brooder.
I checked them all for injury and it appears to be fecal.
They have NOT been on medicated food as I just used starter feed this time instead of medicated.
Day before yesterday was the first day they were ever on the ground and it seems to be more blood yesterday and today than ever.

What should I give them?
They have been in a pen around my adult chickens so should I treat them as well?
They have also been around my older chicks (now about 5 months) who were on medicated food until they were 8 weeks old so should I treat them, too?

Thanks!

 

[Judy]

Cocci are in the soil; they don't get it from each other. The only two treatments are Corid and Sulmet. Corid is the same additive that most medicated feeds have, a thiamine blocker, not an antibiotic. I can hardly find nonmedicated feed and always feed medicated, just careful to check that it's amprolium that it's medicated with. Sylmet is an antibiotic and much rougher on them. Some strains of cocci only respond to one drug, so the general rule is to start with Corid, then treat with Sulmet if they are still sick.

Are they sick? Are you sure they have cocci? It is normal to see some reddish stuff in the stool. Usuallly if they have a bad enough case of cocci to be bleeding, they are very sick, and it may even be too late.

Ceick the poo chart:

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

 

[Jmurcks]

Well I've not really owned chickens long enough to be sure but in the pictures I would assume it is coccidia.
No one acts sick or lethargic but the whole bottom of the brooder is covered in drips of blood. It is a lot.

I always feed medicated but this time when I went to the feed store they were out and I took a risk on buying straight starter feed.
Bad idea. Lesson learned.

I was just unsure if it was contagious and if I should treat everyone. I've seen no signs of blood or rough looking fecal matter anywhere except in the brooder.
When I let the chicks out to play they are in a little ex-pen inside my chicken yard to they are exposed to one another and the same ground.

I remember with puppies you use Albon and treat everyone whether they show signs or not. I know chickens are a whole different story!

Ok, since they are chicks, what if I switched them to medicated feed for awhile would that get rid of it or do I need to use the corrid now that they may have it?

 

[PunkinPeep]

Medicated feed was never meant to - and does not treat coccidiosis. It is meant to prevent, but often fails there too. Your chickens didn't get sick with coccidiosis because you bought unmedicated feed. Don't feel regretful about that.

You need to treat them immediately for coccidiosis - in my opinion. I recommend Corid or some other liquid Amprolium 9.6% product at a rate of 2 teaspoons per gallon of drinking water. And as ddawn said, don't worry about the older generations; treat the entire age group that is showing symptoms.

ETA: Cocci can move very quickly; you need to treat right away - as fast as possible.

 

[Jmurcks]

Thank you both for all the info!

I will get some of the Corrid asap.

Thanks Beth for the informative threads in your signature, they answered a lot of the questions I still had left to ask

Thanks so much!

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
Glad to hear it!

 

[Jmurcks]

All I could find was the Corid 20% powder.

How much do I give per quart? (Or gallon and I can break it up)

It says give 4oz/50 gallons.

 

[PunkinPeep]

It comes down to about a teaspoon per gallon when you do the math, as i recall.

 

[Jmurcks]

I googled it for about an hour and you answered me in less than a minute

You're great!! Thanks a million!

The chicks thank you, too!!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

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