Coccidiosis or intestinal shedding?

[CMMChickens]

Good morning,
I am wondering if I can get some opinions. I found this stool this morning with my 4-week-old chicks. It looks more orange than red so thought it was likely some intestinal shedding but I'm always worried about coccidiosis. What do you think?

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Looks like intestinal shedding to me. Blood is darker red and doesn't look quite as solid.

 

[Michael Apple]

Good morning,
I am wondering if I can get some opinions. I found this stool this morning with my 4-week-old chicks. It looks more orange than red so thought it was likely some intestinal shedding but I'm always worried about coccidiosis. What do you think?

Enteritis is something you want to avoid at all costs, especially with growing birds. I've seen much information pushed because of certain websites claiming the evidence of intestinal lining in droppings is no big deal. By 4 weeks old chicks should be familiar with diet. If you are using medicated feed, I would recommend you stop. Feed a high quality starter feed, and use Probios dispersible powder once a week in waterers. Supplement water with poultry vitamins-electrolytes 2-3 times a week.

Once a month, 3-4 weeks apart supplement waterers as follows to assist with immunity to coccidiosis:

Corid 9.6% solution: 1 tsp per gallon of water for 5-7 days

OR

Corid 20% powder: .5 tsp per gallon of water for 5-7 days

Make a fresh solution each day of treatment. Follow each final treatment with Probios and poultry vitamins-electrolytes for one day, then just vitamins-electrolytes for 2 more days.

Many claims are made to do this continuously from 3 weeks only up until 8 weeks of age. This is not sufficient in my experience of raising chicks for many years. Birds are developing immunity all their lives, but that critical period is the first 9 months until reaching maturity. Much is determined on the length of time for this periodic preventative treatment, simply by paying attention to the condition of droppings, and behavior of birds. Birds should be lively, no weight loss, with vigorous appetites and firm droppings. Warm weather and more water intake can create watery droppings, but the color should represent the diet. Feeding birds in troughs, not on ground, keeping wild birds away from waterers and feed troughs, and preventing birds from drinking stagnant water or ground puddles prevents increased amounts of coccidia protozoa.

Here is some info about control you may find helpful:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1138/coccidiosis-control/

 

[CMMChickens]

Thank you for that information. They are not on medicated feed and just turned out onto grass last week. I did notice what was clearly blood a couple of days ago. It was very little but I started the corid right away. I have 40 birds and, thankfully, these little ones were isolated so hopefully no one else will be affected but that's why I started the corid right away. I saw this stool this morning and wanted to see if this was something else.

 

[Michael Apple]

Thank you for that information. They are not on medicated feed and just turned out onto grass last week. I did notice what was clearly blood a couple of days ago. It was very little but I started the corid right away. I have 40 birds and, thankfully, these little ones were isolated so hopefully no one else will be affected but that's why I started the corid right away. I saw this stool this morning and wanted to see if this was something else.

Good. Being observant and using preventative methods are the best way to avoid problems. Some folks rotate between Sulfadimethoxine and Corid before pullets come in to lay. If using Sulfadimethoxine powder in rotation, just use .5 tsp per gallon for 2-3 days at most.