Coccidiosis?

[Phillisy]

We finally found a few chicks to keep my lone Brahma chick company (the guy the batch was hatched for didn’t want it because it ended up being splash); 4 2-3 week old buff Orpington chicks that are just a little younger than my Brahma, 3 of which look to be hens .

We brought them home, they looked healthy (energetic, bright eyed, etc, etc). Usually when we bring in outside birds we quarantine, but DH put my Brahma with them immediately, and because these were chicks that would be staying inside with a single other chick I let him because I figured it should be okay. Wrong. The next day the new babies had very noticeable blood in their stool, that hadn’t been there the day before. I’ve never dealt with Coccidiosis, but my first thought was that the stress of the trip here (it was a few hours) dropped their immunity enough to let the cocci take hold.

I messaged the breeder to ask if they had been on medicated feed, they had, however in the 24hrs they had been here they were on non-med. I let them know what was going on, and they asked me to keep them updated. Amprolium (Corid) isn’t available at feed stores in Canada, so I phoned every vet within 2hrs of me, and either they weren’t open, they weren’t accepting patients without a history with that animal (even emerg), or I left a message and they never phoned back.
I switched all the chicks to medicated feed, and put ACV in their water (I had read in one of my searches that it could possibly help). At this point every one of their stools left blood splatters that stained their bedding, so I knew it wasn’t intestinal lining, and one of the chicks seemed slightly lethargic, but everyone was still eating and drinking well so I was trying not to panic (who am I kidding... I panicked anyway lol).

It’s been 3 days, none of the vets I’ve left messages with have phoned me back (I’m quite miffed about that because even though I understand things are complicated right now, I’m sure had I said my dog was voiding blood, instead of my chickens, I would have gotten a much more enthusiastic response), but the chicks are all still acting normal and I’m seeing very little, if any, blood in their stool now...

So... was 24hrs off medicated feed and a stressful trip enough to cause blood to show up, then 2 days back on medicated and a stress free environment enough to knock it back? Did the ACV actually work? Was it something besides Coccidiosis?
I’m confused at this point. I would still like to get them meds though, just in case.


What’s your experience with Coccidiosis?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It could be the stress of the trip but probably not from being off medicated feed. They would have to have had contact with oocysts and consume them.
I haven't had it but a couple times in the last 10 years or so.
I would just get some Corid and treat them just in case. I believe that once there is an outbreak, the amount of amprolium in medicated feed isn't sufficient to quell it. It is more of a preventive and not a treatment.
Aside from dosing with Corid, the best thing to do is make sure the bedding is bone dry. The coccidia protozoa can't complete their lifecycle without moisture.
There are 9 species of eimeria (coccidia protozoa) that affect chickens. If a chicken develops resistance to those in their environment and then are moved to a new place with other species, they can come down with coccidiosis at any point in life if they have no resistance to that species.

 

[ameliathedominant]

I think u have done very well with your personal treating of the chicks and since they are pulling thru it could mean they have some immunity to it I suggest that when they start showing wing feathers to give them some time outside everyday it helps build their immunity

 

[rosemarythyme]

Hmm if you can't obtain Corid not sure what to suggest... hopefully some other Canadian members can suggest another product that they've had luck with? I'd at least keep them on the medicated feed for now, since it can't hurt, though that won't fix an actual outbreak.

BTW (I know this is not helpful), but I wouldn't get too mad about vets not responding. Most vets don't handle birds or livestock and certainly would not allow chickens into their offices, and the number of vets with actual poultry know-how is even tinier. That's why most of us handle these matters at home.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Hmm if you can't obtain Corid not sure what to suggest... hopefully some other Canadian members can suggest another product that they've had luck with? I'd at least keep them on the medicated feed for now, since it can't hurt, though that won't fix an actual outbreak.

BTW (I know this is not helpful), but I wouldn't get too mad about vets not responding. Most vets don't handle birds or livestock and certainly would not allow chickens into their offices, and the number of vets with actual poultry know-how is even tinier. That's why most of us handle these matters at home.

Perhaps they have a sulfa drug up there that they can find.