Corid as a Preventative

[frjeff]

Using 1/2 tsp. Corid powder per gallon of water for my youngest chicks (3-5 weeks). I have had these chicks on this for the two weeks I've owned them.

They will not be introduced into the coop with the three 12 week old pullets until mid - late July.

How long should I have them on the Corid?

Thanks

Jeff

 

[Eggcessive]

Are they on the ground yet? A lot of people do it differently. Some use it every 3 weeks for 5 days, and one person recently kept his on the low dose for a long period. There is no right way to do it, but they should be exposed to soil and the medicine should keep them from getting an overload to make them sick. That is the thought in using medicated feed, but many get it anyway because it seems to be such a small amount. Chickens are most prone to coccidiosis between 3 and 11 weeks of age, but it can happen up to 20 weeks or more. I have never had cocci in either chicks raised in the house, or raised on soil by a hen. I do put a lump of sod in my brooder to expose them early to soil, though. That's what this forum is for--to have people share their experience.

 

[frjeff]

Eggcessive,

Thanks!

No, my little ones are not on the ground. They are in a brooder built into the corner of my garage. It has a concrete floor which I covered with a waxed craft paper and about two inches of pine shavings. The shavings/paper get changed weekly.

I have plenty of sod pieces; ought I set one into their brooder? And, keep them on this preventative Corid dosage?

Jeff

 

[cafarmgirl]

What I've read about using Corid preventatively was to use it at 1/2 teaspoon per gallon for 3 to 5 days and to run that course of treatment every three weeks until they are about 9 months old.

I would not use it daily for extended periods of time because the active ingredient, amprolium, is a thiamin blocker, it works by starving the cocci protozoa of enough thiamin to reproduce rapidly and overgrow, so I suppose that over long periods of time like that birds could develop a deficiency. I would either do the preventative routine above or I would just watch and treat if it becomes necessary.

But as mentioned, exposure is key so they can build resistance. At three to five weeks they are old enough to be going outside during the day in a grow out pen. That will give them the exposure to the ground and any resident coccidia. If that's not possible, bring in some of your hen pen dirt into their brooder.

No matter how you decide to handle it, watchfulness at this age and being ready to treat an outbreak asap is key.

 

[Eggcessive]

Fred's Hens, the moderator had said recently that he gave it continuously in a weak dose for several weeks when they got on dirt after he had an outbreak for the first time. Michael Apple recommends using it 5 days every 3 weeks until 7 months I believe. I don't think amprollium really blocks thiamine, but it mimics thiamine in the coccidia oocyst or organism. Here is what is on the website:

How CORID works
Structurally, CORID mimics thiamin (Vitamin B1) which is required by coccidia for normal growth and reproduction. When coccidia ingest CORID, they experience thiamin deficiency and starve from malnutrition. CORID has been experimentally administered at many times the recommended dosage and duration with no signs of toxicity.

 

[frjeff]

My hens came from Fred's Hens (a dear friend) and he is the one who told me of Corid. He quite likely shared the how and when as well.
However, I have old timers disease and did not remember. I didn't want to bother him.

Thanks for all of the help and input. Being new to this, I am learning much here and in my reading and research.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Fred let you have some of his Barred Rock? Wow, he must like you! He loves his Barred Rocks! (I hope it was Barred Rock or now I’m embarrassed)

The life cycle of the bug that causes Coccidiosis is that the chicken eats an oocyst (call it an egg, close enough) and that thing hatches in its gut. The bug burrows into the intestinal wall and starts laying eggs. These pass through the chicken’s system and out the rear end in the poop. If it gets a couple of days in wet or damp manure it matures to where it can hatch. Then if the chicken eats it, there is another bug in its gut.

A few of these bugs in the guts is no problem. It’s when the number of bugs gets out of hand that the chicken gets sick. Some of these bugs are stronger than others, that’s because of where in the chicken’s gut they attack. As long as the number does not get out of hand, the chicken will develop an immunity in about two to three weeks after it is exposed as long as it has a continued exposure. So you want it to have some exposure, just for the number of bugs to not get out of hand.

You can buy medicated feed with Amprolium in it. As they said, Amprolium interferes with the bug reproducing. The dosage in medicated feed does not totally stop that bug from reproducing. It allows enough to reproduce so the chicken can develop immunity but helps keep the numbers under control. With the bad bugs or in wet conditions Coccidiosis can still get out of control when they are on medicated feed, but it does help a lot.

Corid contains Amprolium too but it is much stronger. It is used to treat an outbreak. It does not allow the bugs to reproduce if you use a treatment dose. If you are going to use it as a preventative instead of treating with it, you need a much smaller dose or they won’t develop that immunity. Go ahead and bother Fred to make sure you get the dosage right.

The whole purpose of a preventative dose is to keep the number of bugs from getting out of hand yet allow them to develop immunity. Unless they are exposed to that bug they won’t develop immunity. So how long should they be on a preventative dose of Amprolium? For at least three weeks after they have been exposed to the ground where the bug lives.

 

[Eggcessive]

My hens came from Fred's Hens (a dear friend) and he is the one who told me of Corid. He quite likely shared the how and when as well.
However, I have old timers disease and did not remember. I didn't want to bother him.

Thanks for all of the help and input. Being new to this, I am learning much here and in my reading and research.

I have learned a lot from Fred on this forum His advice is always to the point, and pretty much right on. Here is that recent thread where you can read what he had to say: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/899682/dlm-and-coccidiosis#post_13689885

 

[frjeff]

Ridgerunner:

Actually, I have three RIR and three Black Stars from Fred. All pullets.

RIR are about 12 weeks and the little gals as stated earlier. This is my first effort with chickens and +Fred has been my go-to expert on all things.

Jeff+

 

[Fred's Hens]

There is/was a learning curve on what works best in each situation. Our conditions are not a constant. The various strains of coccidiosis seem to morph. The soil varies in moisture and temperature from year to year and week to week.

The amount in medicated feed, is prophylactic. When we use Corid (amprollium) in the water, the amount is also prophylactic. 1/4 teaspoon per gallon in conjunction with non medicated feed throughout, so the water being lightly dosed is the chicks only supply.

The higher amount, 1/2 teaspoon per gallon, is only used for 5 or 6 days, the first time the chicks hit the ground.
That's pretty much our "formula". Find what works for you and do it. Having chicks die from a severe outbreak and being caught unprepared is a horrible experience, for sure.

Have put a lot of chicks on the ground this year and not had a whiff of the bloody disease, which is the goal of anyone's program. Healthy chicks.