Cocidiodsis????

[CHICKA MOMMA]

Hello, I am only less than a year into raising a small flock of egg laying hens in Western NY area. Today my husband awoke to one of our white chickens with a bloody bottom/vent. She is moving very slowly around the coop and staying away from the other chickens. This is the 3rd hen to be found this way in the past 3 months....the other 2 died the same day we noticed the bloody bottom/vent. The first one died before we noticed her bleeding but when we found her, she had a bloody vent and not egg bound. The 2nd one, who died a month ago, we found her listless, bloody vent, and not moving out of the laying box. I was able to check her to see if she was egg bound, and she wasn't and died that night. The next day we treating the remaining 10 hens with Corid for 5 days and then starting putting cider vinegar in their water and changing their water every 12 hrs. Now this one........ I am suspecting Cocidiosis as all the research into her and my last lost hen points me that way. Someone said to us that they washed the ground with a Clorox/water mixture to help kill the parasites.....but that would make me worry about killing the flock with Clorox. What is my best way to try and prevent this from happening in the future???? We have become so attached to them and this is so difficult for us to keep loosing our "girls". Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Chicka Momma

 

[maxpedley]

Firstly worming your hens will cure coccidiosis if nipped in the bud. Secondly dont keep growers with adults and thirdly fee youfr young chicks a starter crumb which contains coccidiostat. This will help them become imune to the parasite

 

[ten chicks]

Firstly worming your hens will cure coccidiosis if nipped in the bud. Secondly dont keep growers with adults and thirdly fee youfr young chicks a starter crumb which contains coccidiostat. This will help them become imune to the parasite

Worming WILL NOT control/cure a coccidiosis outbreak. Coccidiosis is a parasitic infection of the intestinal,but not like typical worms,worming will do absolutely nothing for Coccidiosis. Most birds have some cocci in their small intestines,only becomes a problem if they have an overload/outbreak,then we medicate with a coccidiostat to bring it back under control.

Chickens are only immune to the strains of coccidiosis that they have had exposure to,so it is possible for a chicken at any age to have an overload/outbreak.

 

[CHICKA MOMMA]

Am I doing all the right things to try and "prevent" any future outbreaks?

 

[ten chicks]

Am I doing all the right things to try and "prevent" any future outbreaks?

Coccidosis is spread by droppings which get into feed/water via droppings,but it is also spread by adding new birds,wild birds,bringing it into your flock on your hands/clothes/shoes/feed utensils/etc. It is one of those things that we all need to be aware of the symptoms and treat immediately. While cocci can kill very fast,it is also easily controlled with coccidiostats. Some symptoms of cocci are: runny/watery poop(may or may not contain blood,depends on which of the 11 strains it is)fluffed feathers,lethargic,not eating/drinking properly,general look of unwell.

For disinfecting use cleaning ammonia as bleach will do little to kill parasite. Treat your girls again,dose for Corid 9.6% liquid is 2 tsp per gallon of water,dose for Corid 20% powder is 1-1.5 tsp per gallon of water. Treat for 5 days,do not give vitamins during treatment as they interfere with the ability of the coccidiostat to work. Treat again in 2 weeks for 3 days,this is to ensure parasite is in fact under control. You can give vitamins after treatments are complete. Make sure your girls are drinking water.

 

[maxpedley]

ten chicks-if a suitable wormer is used it will cure an early outbreak.

 

[ten chicks]

ten chicks-if a suitable wormer is used it will cure an early outbreak.

NO it will not!!

Where did you get this misinformation from??

 

[maxpedley]

yes it will if it is used as soon as cocci breaks out.

 

[ten chicks]

yes it will if it is used as soon as cocci breaks out.

I am not debating this with you,this information is incorrect!! Do you even know what Coccidiosis is?

 

[maxpedley]

Yes of course I know what it is. Its a parasitic disease and that information is correct. To treat you use the correct wormer which will contain anticoccidials however treatment must be very quick after the outburst has begun