Coccidiosis Questions

[ChickensForEggs2500]

So I think my hens might have coccidiosis. They have small foamy cecal poops (with a few normal ones mixed in), don't have appetites', and are slightly sluggish. I've heard that treating with Corid doesn't hurt them if they turn out not to have it. Is that true? I already read @casportpony 's amazing article with the correct dosages.

How do I clean the coop? Will the Coccidiosis stay on the floor? They are in an open air coop right now, with a dirt floor and no bedding. They get free-range time for about 3 hours a day until we get their large run built.

Will my chickens be carriers forever?

How long does it take to completely get rid of the disease?

Thank you so much!

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

I haven't had to treat with corrid yet, but I would recommend on top of whatever treatment you pick adding some sort of mulch or sand so water doesn't sit around in their area and so they can bury their poo in it when they're scratching around. Coccidia thrives in wet environments.

How old are they? Baby chicks who weren't vaccinated for coccidia can have medicated feed. If they were vaccinated for it, they shouldn't catch it, and medicated feed should be avoided since it cancels out the vaccine. But I don't know if medicated feed would work for a full-blown infection or not?

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable has chimed it while I was typing...that's all I got.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

P.S. try googling "backyardchickens corrid when to use" or something similar. The search engine on this site sucks, but Google should be able to find you some good results.

 

[ChickensForEggs2500]

My ladies are 1yr-9yr. Does that rule out coccidiosis?

So while treating them, have dry clean bedding, right?

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

I don't think it rules it out, just it's more common in young pullets or old chickens I think.

Yes, keeping things dry limits its growth. It's an algae, so it needs water.

Ok, look at this article. It has tons of pics of poops and tells what the chicken had and what she did about it.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/whats...balanced and,in protein or kidney dysfunction.

I hadn't thought about it, but worms could also be an issue.

Looks like foamy poop is the chicken version of diarrhea, and can be from (1) too much protein in food, (2) worms, (3) bacterial/viral infection. Can also be coccidia, but that looks to often include blood in the poop. (Google FTW!)

I'd check their diet first? If not that, the most definitive way to know what to do is to send a poop sample to a vet to check for worms and stuff. Call around for prices and make sure they take chicken poop.

 

[coach723]

Coccidia are everywhere, you cannot eradicate it from the environment. It most commonly affects young birds and chicks that have not built any resistance. It can affect older birds if they are immune compromised or if they are exposed to a new strain that they have never been exposed to, like when moved to new ground or if new birds are brought in that may carry a different strain. It can also be brought in on clothing, shoes, or by wild birds. Keeping things as dry as possible, and keeping droppings from building up, keeping feeders and waterers clean and dropping free, can help prevent spread. A warm, rainy period where the ground stays wet can cause a 'coccidia bloom' where numbers in the environment are more available for the chickens to pick up while scratching and pecking in the soil. When the birds are exposed gradually to a strain, they build resistance. That is how the medicated feed for chicks is supposed to work, it keeps the numbers down in the digestive tract (it has a very low dose of the same medication in Corid) so the chick doesn't become ill and can build some immunity. Chicks raised by a broody hen are exposed to the microbes in the environment from the beginning and often build resistance naturally. I give brooder raised chicks a dish of dirt to dig around and dust bathe in from day one, in the brooder, to do the same thing. I replace it with clean soil every day. They get exposed to the microbes in the soil the same way, giving them the opportunity to build resistance naturally. I always have Corid on hand in the event anyone does get sick and needs to be treated. Once they show signs of illness then medicated feed is not a high enough dose and you have to treat with full strength Corid. Since I started providing dirt in my brooder I've not had an outbreak in many years. If you get a fecal done then the actual coccidia count is important. A healthy bird can have coccidia in it's digestive tract and be fine, it's only when the numbers get too high that the bird will become sick.
Corid is pretty safe, so if in doubt, I would treat. It won't do any harm. A fecal would also tell you if any other parasites are present, which you would need to treat with a different wormer. If you have a vet that will do that for you, that is where I would start it's not usually terribly expensive. There are also mail in options, but a bit slower to get a result:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000J5SOZ...colid=27RHKHAM35GO&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Birds do have cecal droppings several times a day, and they can look a lot different than a regular dropping and still be normal. The lack of appetite and sluggishness would be the thing that suggests more is going on.

 

[ChickensForEggs2500]

Thank you! I'll look into a fecal test. Hopefully it's nothing and I'm just being paranoid. They are on 18% layer feed that most of them have been on their whole lives. I didn't feed them anything unusual, but they have been foraging a LOT more recently.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

Hmm...looks like once they start laying, 16% is the more standard recommendation unless you're having egg quality issues or they are moulting. Maybe try switching to a feed with a teeny bit less protein. 18% is not considered "bad," just can be a bit high for some birds once they're full grown. It could be that they are snacking on lots of high protein bugs and clover out in your yard lately, and that plus the feed is just too much.

But with the lethargy, thinking it's likely something else. I'd also do the poop test to be sure.

 

[ChickensForEggs2500]

I contacted my local bird vet for a time and cost estimate.

I think it's just that 16% is the minimum, and it's cheaper for the companies to produce. I know a lot of people have great luck with the 20% All Flock as well.

I read that sometimes the extra fiber from foraging can cause their poop to look weird. This morning their poop looks normal! I really hope it's nothing.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

Yeah, 18% isn't "too high" overall, but it is on the high end for full grown, non-moulting hens. If the problem persists and the poo tests come back negative, could be worth trying a 16% layer feed. That's what I have mine on since they spend most of everyday hunting bugs and "mowing" my clover-filled back yard for me.