Coccidiosis? Don't know where to start

[kiwiegg]

Hi everyone. Just moved my chicks out of their brooder a couple of days ago and they seem very happy in their new coop. A couple of days before that I noticed a strong poop smell that was much stronger than normal. I started to see runny poop, a caramel brown color. I am trying to keep the waterer, feeder and litter clean as possible but brooders seem like an invitation for disease - hot and cramped. The only reason I am thinking someone has cocci is that it fits the description best in Gail Damerows book "Raising Chickens". Problem is that she recommends taking a stool sample to vet as there are many different types of protozoa that can caiuse this and therefore different kinds of meds to put in water. I dont want to sound heartless but I dont want to start trips to the vet! If I need to sacrifice one chick to save the others I will. I have been in the coop a few times but have not seen the offender yet.

My main question is, if one of the chicks has cocci can it be easily spread to others or is it an individual condition? What is the best course of action? Do I need to find and isolate the chick/
Thanks for any help!

 

[sonew123]

Hi everyone. Just moved my chicks out of their brooder a couple of days ago and they seem very happy in their new coop. A couple of days before that I noticed a strong poop smell that was much stronger than normal. I started to see runny poop, a caramel brown color. I am trying to keep the waterer, feeder and litter clean as possible but brooders seem like an invitation for disease - hot and cramped. The only reason I am thinking someone has cocci is that it fits the description best in Gail Damerows book "Raising Chickens". Problem is that she recommends taking a stool sample to vet as there are many different types of protozoa that can caiuse this and therefore different kinds of meds to put in water. I dont want to sound heartless but I dont want to start trips to the vet! If I need to sacrifice one chick to save the others I will. I have been in the coop a few times but have not seen the offender yet.

My main question is, if one of the chicks has cocci can it be easily spread to others or is it an individual condition? What is the best course of action? Do I need to find and isolate the chick/
Thanks for any help!

You will see lethargy and bloody stool with cocci and yes if one gets it they all will if they are all together...have you given them a cocidiostat? Sulmet? Corrid? Its easily treatable Also the strong poop smell...they are getting older and just like a baby..pee yoooo how many chicks do you have in a brooder and what size? Usually about week 3 I can smell my chicks .bleah! Even though I change their papers 2-3x a day it stills stinks!

 

[sonew123]

Ps you can buy the meds at your feed store..they should have at least one of them

 

[Judy]

If it's cocci, there is no need for isolation at this stage. Corid is the gentlest treatment, relatively harmless. Sulmet is much rougher on their system, but if it's the only thing you can get quickly, it can save their lives. There are lots of discussions of cocci here. Here are a few links:

http://www.clemson.edu/public/lph/ahp/disease_links/images/coccidia.pdf

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/368508/help-cocci-but-chicks-on-medicated-feed

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/461910/will-antibiotics-from-feed-store-treat-coccidia

 

[dawg53]

Hi everyone. Just moved my chicks out of their brooder a couple of days ago and they seem very happy in their new coop. A couple of days before that I noticed a strong poop smell that was much stronger than normal. I started to see runny poop, a caramel brown color. I am trying to keep the waterer, feeder and litter clean as possible but brooders seem like an invitation for disease - hot and cramped. The only reason I am thinking someone has cocci is that it fits the description best in Gail Damerows book "Raising Chickens". Problem is that she recommends taking a stool sample to vet as there are many different types of protozoa that can caiuse this and therefore different kinds of meds to put in water. I dont want to sound heartless but I dont want to start trips to the vet! If I need to sacrifice one chick to save the others I will. I have been in the coop a few times but have not seen the offender yet.

My main question is, if one of the chicks has cocci can it be easily spread to others or is it an individual condition? What is the best course of action? Do I need to find and isolate the chick/
Thanks for any help!

Sounds like (smells like) normal cecal poop to me.
http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0