coccidosis stunted growth?

[ranchokelly]

I've had a problem with what I assume is coccidosis with my young chicks…. I lost one of the 6 chicks after a few weeks, and then stepped up the dose of Corid - thank god for the info on these forums! AFter the one died, two others started showing similar symptoms - slower, heads pulled in, and not seeming to be growing as fast as the others. I've been giving a corid mash to them to make sure they got a stronger dose, and they seem to have picked up and are better. At least I hope so!
But the sicker ones haven't caught up to the others - they're almost half the size and haven't gotten but a few head feathers while the others have theirs. They're all different breeds, except for two easter eggers, and one is almost half the size of the other.
Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this? Will they catch up?
At 6-7 weeks, the larger ones are VERY active and keep breaking out of my brooder of boxes with window screens. My plan was to put the three larger ones outside in the coop soon (it's in the 60's daytime, 40's at night), so last night I turned off the heat lamp to start getting them ready. The smaller ones seemed huddled and cold this morning, hopefully they're okay, but I'm thinking it's too soon for them without the lamp.

 

[enola]

Coccidiosis can definitely stunt growth of chicks. There is a possibility that severely ill chicks will be compromised for their entire life.

Any chicks that Have to be treated for coccidiosis at my place are butchered. I don't keep them as layers or breeding stock.

 

[ranchokelly]

Oh, that's pretty disheartening! I have a small flock, and they're mostly pets.I avoid butchering unless they're close to death anyway and suffering.

 

[enola]

If your chickens are pets, you can help them stay healthy by making sure their diet is appropriate for their ages. Having a compromised digestive system is not a death sentence.

I don't have pet chickens. My chickens have to support themselves. So, any slackers end up in the stew pot.

One of the best things you can do for your chickens is observe them closely, at the FIRST sign of a chicken not acting 'normal', describe the symptoms in a post on this site. People on this site love to help!

 

[ranchokelly]

So by compromised, does that mean they may not be layers at all?
It's strange - these two really just seemed to have stopped growing. They're eating and pooping normally, but aren't as active as the others. I finally separated them and put the larger ones outside, and they seem to be doing well despite a chilly night in the 40's.

Since the two small ones are spending most of their time sleeping under the heat lamp, I'm guessing that's not good...

 

[enola]

Simply put, a compromised system means that the chicken will never be able to extract all of the nutrients from their diet. This problem will cause the chicken to be stressed by everything in their environment. The chicken will have a hard time holding their weight and will probably not be able to lay as many eggs as other hens.

After saying all of that, I will add; not all chicken's digestive system's are so severely affected by coccidia.

 

[beaglex3]

we got 7 chicks from tractor supply on march 21, 2015. all are black australopes. all were healthy and happy from the start. as 6 began to grow, one was runty. the others began getting tail & wing feathers while this one stayed looking like a day old chick. 2 weeks later, 6 of them are continuing to grow and get more big girl feathers, while the little one only has a few wing feathers and still looks like a newly hatched chick. she is eating, drinking and completely healthy acting, so i haven't worried about her. but........
this morning i went to the basement to change their water and check their feed and notice one of the bigger one was lying kind of sprawled out and lethargic. i picked her up and she didn't put up a fight like they always do when i pick them up.i checked her but and it was clean. i changed the water to electrolyte water and held her by it as she drank. she stood after that and wobbled a few steps before falling and just sat down. the others were running around the brooder trying to get away from the action, and stepped on her. she just sat there. after a few minutes, she strained and pooped out a white kind of stringy poop.
i have found other posts about droopy lethargic chicks who died soon after showing symptoms. so i have a couple questions:

1. should i be worried about coccidosis? could the runt chick be a carrier of something that may affect the rest?
2. should i quarantine the droopy sick chick?
3. should i quarantine the runty chick, even tho she isn't showing sign of being sick, just small?
4. does anyone have any idea what the droopy chick has?

anything else i should know or do??
thanks!

 

[enola]

If the runt had coccidiosis badly enough to cause this level of stunted growth rate, you would have known she was ill.

I would treat all of them for coccidiosis, based on the extreme lethargy of the larger chick.

 

[beaglex3]

i have been looking thru byc for any advice on coccidiosis and found that adding acv with the mother can help treat/prevent it. is that enough to do, or should i put all of the chicks on medicated feed?
i put the sick chick in a separate brooder and have been dipping her beak in electrolyte water every hour. she was still alive this morning, and seemed to have a bit more energy. i am not finding any bloody poop, so feel a tad optimistic. i do not think she is eating, tho.
so.....acv or medicated feed? what's the word??

thanks,

 

[enola]

If she has an active infection of coccidia, medicated feed or AVC will not treat her. Did you read post #8?