coccidiosis and immunity

[mpflynn]

I had four little chicks around the first of may, two americanas and two golden laced wyandottes. I had read before & had done with my previous two chicks to give them a little dirt from our yard to build coccidiosis immunity. I gave some dirt to these chicks as well (although I didnt do it until this batch was older maybe 4-5 weeks) and suddenly found bloody stool in their little space. Id never had this with my previous two batches of chicks. I googled it and realized it must be cocciodisis. I gave them corid and thank The Lord they quickly improved! At 6 weeks we gave the two americanas to a friend and they said they did great on their farm! I waited a little longer for our two golden laced wyandottes because they seemed a little smaller & younger than the americanas. I put them out and noticed them eating SO much dirt it worried me. 5 days later they seemed lethargic and sadly it didn't hit me that it could be coccciosis again. I lost one of the golden laced wyandottes that day I think the coccciosis plus the heat that day even though they had shade and water was too much. One little golden laced pullet survived. I gave her corid and she got better so Im quite certain it was coccidiosis again that got her sister. Ive been afraid to take her off corid sometimes just giving her tiny doses in her water but recently took her off altogether and sure enough she got sick again Same symptoms and her poop was reddish so afraid there was blood. Poor thing took some corid orally from a dropper last night and is so much better this morning!! I just am worried as she is coming up on 3 months and seems to have no immunity to coccidiosis. My other hens (all barred rock) do great and don’t have this problem at all! Could her immunity be messed up from having coccidiosis as a chick? What can I do to help? Im afraid giving her corid so much will lead to vitamin b1 defeciency, I have given her lots of nutridrench. Any advice would be so great appreciated thank you!!

 

[coach723]

Chicks that have had coccidiosis and recover should have some resistance to the strain(s) they were exposed to and should not get sick from that again unless their immune systems are compromised. They can get sick if exposed to a new strain that they were not exposed to before. Some birds can be left with impairment to absorption of nutrients if the gut was very damaged when they were sick.
How are you dosing the Corid?

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you take in some fresh droppings to your regular vet and ask them to do a fecal float? That can confirm if she has coccidiosis. Post any pictures you have of bloody poops. I would stop the Corid. When she has blood in her droppings, is she also acting lethargic, acting puffed up or hunched, and having no appetite? A sulfa antibiotic sulfadimethoxine or SMZ-TMP (bactrim) can be useful if coccidiosis is resistant to Corid. Here is where to buy it online:
https://jedds.com/en-jp/products/medicox-medpet

 

[coach723]

You can also use toltrazuril, you can get that here:
https://www.allthingsbunnies.com/Toltrazuril-5-Suspension-for-Coccidiosis-p/med132.htm

https://poultrydvm.com/drugs/toltrazuril

 

[mpflynn]

Chicks that have had coccidiosis and recover should have some resistance to the strain(s) they were exposed to and should not get sick from that again unless their immune systems are compromised. They can get sick if exposed to a new strain that they were not exposed to before. Some birds can be left with impairment to absorption of nutrients if the gut was very damaged when they were sick.
How are you dosing the Corid?

 

[mpflynn]

2.5 ml per quart of water was what I had read online

 

[mpflynn]

2.5 ml per quart of water was what I had read online

 

[mpflynn]

Can you take in some fresh droppings to your regular vet and ask them to do a fecal float? That can confirm if she has coccidiosis. Post any pictures you have of bloody poops. I would stop the Corid. When she has blood in her droppings, is she also acting lethargic, acting puffed up or hunched, and having no appetite? A sulfa antibiotic sulfadimethoxine or SMZ-TMP (bactrim) can be useful if coccidiosis is resistant to Corid. Here is where to buy it online:
https://jedds.com/en-jp/products/medicox-medpet

We don’t have a vet who will se chickens Ive tried hard to find one locally. She was as you describe yesterday no appetite but today is not hunched very happy and eating again the only thing I gave her was corid so it must not be resistant to corid since she made such a turn around

 

[mpflynn]

can there be different strains in one bsckyard? I had moved her to a new section of the yard

 

[coach723]

Yes, it's possible that there can be different strains in different areas. But it can be easily spread on shoes and clothing as well, so unless the spot is pretty far from where they were before, it would seem likely that it would be everywhere. But we are talking about something microscopic that we can't see, so no way to know for sure.
If getting a fecal is doable for you (that is not usually terribly expensive if you have a vet that will do it for you) that would be best.
If you are using the liquid Corid then the correct dose is 2 tsp per gallon of water (that's about 9.86 ml), and the powder form dose is 1.5 tsp per gallon of water.
That should be the only water available during treatment, and treat for 5-7 days, don't stop early if improvement is seen sooner, complete the entire treatment period.