coccidiosis? Do my chicks have this?

[Chickentastic]

I have three 2 week old chicks. WE went away for 3 days and my neighbors watched the girls. When we came back one I noticed that in the straw there was some dark stool, like black, not spotty just all black. The chickens seem fine, but I heard that this could be a sign of coccidiosis. Do you think my chickens have this? What should I do to treat it? Can I just give them vinegar once they already have it? Please help!

 

[Gazinga]

They will have different looking droppings once in a while. I wouldnt freak out just yet, Is it an occurance that has been happining for a while? Do you know which chicken is dropping the black ones? Feed, housing, stress, temps, al are information that can better help the intelegent people on this site to better help you.

 

[Chickentastic]

They are living in a large plastic tub with straw bedding indoors. I am going to move them to a small chicken coop that I can keep indoors tonight because it has a wire floor which I here can help prevent the spread of disease. I haven't ever given them antibiotics. They are only fed crumbles and water. They seem to have very low stress.

 

[cgmccary]

Bloody droppings is usually indicative of coccidiosis. Keep their bedding dry. Pine shavings is better than straw and actually wire bottom is probably worse for cocci than bedding because they don't get exposed to their droppings and so they don't build up their immunities.

 

[JennsPeeps]

I agree - you need to see bloody droppings. You'll know b/c it looks like little chunks of hamburger in the fecal matter, which may be loose & watery.

If you've got the chicks on medicated feed they should be covered.

 

[Chickentastic]

they are not on medicated feed. should i medicate them? i'm not sure that it's blood in the stool. can chicks just have dark stool ever once in a while?

 

[JennsPeeps]

Oh yeah, chicks can have dark poo. If it's sticky & stinky, it's cecal poop, which is a loop in the intestines that holds that gross stuff. They release it ever do many plops. It smells nasty.

It's pretty unlikely that your chicks have been exposed to cocci yet, unless they've been outside for long periods. Cocci is everywhere in soil & all chickens have it to some extent. It's like cats & toxoplasmosis: most have it, not all get sick from it. Chickens are most susceptible when young.

I wouldn't worry about cocci for now. You can keep an eye on their poop once they go outside. If you ever notice blood like this:

or this:

that's when you'll need to treat for cocci.

BTW - not my pics. Courtesy of google... I don't have a collection of poop pics, most to the dismay of many, I'm sure.

 

[cgmccary]

And yes, Apple Cider Vinegar is good to put in their water--for overall health (and I have heard it is a"deterrent" to the cocci--- about a tablespoon per gallon (and not every day but frequently)-- I put about a quarter a teaspoon in the little plastic waterers we all use in the beginning-- the cockerel pen has already moved up to the 1 gallon waterer & the pullet chicks are about to get theirs (as they are about to be able to turn over the smaller one).

I put it a few times a month in my grown bird's water as well.

 

[Sequin]

Your friends may have brought them treats while in their care and that could change the color/texture. If they have never been outside or exposed to other chickens/elements other than the environment they are in now I wouldn't worry too much about it. I see occasional variation in my hens poo and I am sure it can be attributed to the variety of food they get. Not to worry!!!