Coccidiosis paranoia

[Trish1974]

Friday I bought a flock of 6 rumpless araucana chicks and their mother hen from breeder Nancy Utterback. The chicks are 9-10 weeks old. They all have been in the coop since Friday, and I am hoping to let them out for about an hour this evening if I can get home from work in time. Their run is in part of the yard that has not had anything in it before (no other animals) and is mostly grass and a small dirt area. It also butts up against the barn where sparrows used to roost under the eaves and poop all over the ground. This was block off from the sparrows in June. We have had some wet conditions lately, the ground is wet and that combined with knowing sparrows used to poop there has me worried about coccidiosis. I have them on medicated chick feed. Is that enough to prevent the disease? I also have some Corid, would it be okay to start them on that or would that be overkill? Anything else I could do to keep these kids healthy?

 

[Melky]

If your birds are healthy with no symptoms or problems only do the medicated feed and only need for first 8 weeks then can switch to non- medicated feed and this should Help provide natural defense against coccidiosis. It’s great that you removed or deterred wild birds taking up shop in the area. Only dose Corid if sick from coccidiosis. I think you have done enough without the Corid and they should do fine.

 

[Mosey2003]

Keep them on medicated, very smart. All soil everywhere has coccidia in it, and it's possible yours has a different strain than where they came from. I would just watch them very closely for the first few days and they should be fine.

 

[rebrascora]

I agree with the other posters. Broody reared chicks usually have stronger immune systems, so they are usually less susceptible to coccidiosis, but since you have recently acquired them and they are new to your property it is important to be vigilant and have Corid on hand in case you need it but I would not dose them unless they show symptoms. They need to build resistance to it, so that their system can keep it in check. If you dose them with a treatment dose now you may be preventing them from building that natural resistance.

 

[Trish1974]

If you dose them with a treatment dose now you may be preventing them from building that natural resistance.

Good point! I did not think of that, thank you.

 

[Trish1974]

How much longer should I keep them on medicated feed? Tomorrow will be 2 weeks since I've had them. They are now 11/12 weeks old. Everyone appears healthy and no abnormal poops. Weather has been damp, daytime temps in the mid 30s and lows at night in the low 20s.

 

[Mosey2003]

If they're outside where they're going to live, and have been for awhile, you could probably move on to non-medicated once you finish that bag. There's really no rush though, amprolium doesn't even need an egg withdrawal.