coccidia Is it always going to be a battle?

fostermom55

Songster
7 Years
Jun 10, 2016
87
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I am a new chick owner. My chicks are 7,8 and 9 weeks old. I took a stool sample to the vet not because they seem sick, but just skinny. I was told they have coccidia and to give them medicated feed. I have a chicken tractor that I have been moving to a new spot every 2-3 days. I am wondering if they become immune or is this going to be a constant battle. I am really looking forward to some home grown organic eggs. I don't want to always have to be medicating. Any information or help is appreciated! Kathy
 
Chicks should be on medicated chick feed for the first 8 weeks for the very least. This is a low dosage amount that should prevent but will not cure coccidiosis. When a chicken who is now allowed to free range on ground, which is loaded with coccidiosis pretty much everywhere....without being on medicated chick feed...is typically when they will get sick. I like to contijue on medicated chick feed while slowly introducing them to the ground outside. If they are showing signs of coccidiosis medicated chick feed wont help. They really need corid added to the drinking water..or if they are gone far enougj they arent eating or drinking well..an oral drench administered will work well. Corid is a thiamine inhibitor which basically causes a thiamine deficiency to both the chicken and the parasite...but the parasite cant go bery long without thiamine..which is why you can see reuslts as early as 3 days. Corid usually doesnt need to be used longer than 10 days..usually less. Corid is probably the least dangerous 'drug' to use on chickens however recurring coccidiosis means something else is probably wrong...IMHO...are they warm enough during the day and night?
Adults will have developed immunity to the parasites by being slowly introduced to it...usually while on medicated feed at a younger age.
If I were you I would double check they are drinking enough and if not sure switch to a Corid oral drench for each based on body weight...while getting them all back in the medicated chick feed at least for a couple weeks after introducing them to the outdoors.
Once they are a bit older this is usually not an issue! Coccidiosis is probably one of the easiest issues to treat compared to respiratory issues. A tip: do NOT add new adult chickens or chicks to a flock without isolating them totally first to check for respiratory or other illnesses..I would even go so far to say..just do not ever add ault chickens to an exisiting flock...too many birds can be carriers of diseases that literally will never be able to get cured :/
 
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