diarrhea or not?

[SueBaby]

I have chicks that are 2 and 3 weeks old, this is our first time raising chicks. We have always noticed that some of their poops are those nasty smelling, sticky brown ones. However, it seems that lately there are more of the nasty ones and fewer of the drier, "normal" ones. It does not stick to their butts, but if it gets on our clothes or the towel we use when holding them it's hard to clean up. Is this chicken diarrhea? And if it is diarrhea, is it most likely cocci causing it? And if it is cocci, how do you treat it? We are giving them medicated starter mixed with organic non-medicated starter. I read somewhere that the medicated feed is only preventative, and if they do get cocci the feed is not a treatment. Do I have to go buy some antibiotics?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

 

[hennyannie]

This poo sounds normal to me. There was a great poo post on here yesterday. I hope someone post it for you. In the meantime I dont think you have anything to worry about.

 

[CammieSilkie]

Chickens do not pee, so often their poo is liquid and messy if they are releasing fluids.. sometimes it is quite solid if they are only releasing solid wastes.. but usually it's a mix. I's stop mixing medicated and organic, because the medicated will work much better alone. if your using medicated feed also, how would they have gotten cocci in the first place? and as for the smell? well, poo is poo.

 

[Celtic Chick]

What you are seeing is called cecal poop. One in every 8 to 10 poops are of this kind. You are probably just seeing them more because they are growing & pooping more often. And, yes, it does smell bad. Real bad.

You should just feed your babies the medicated feed first, otherwise you are diluting it too much & defeating the entire purpose of even giving them medicated food. The antibiotic in medicated feed is so minimal that you do not have to worry that they will be "pumped up" on antibiotics.
Poo link: http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0
Per TSC website:
Starter feeds typically include medication against coccidiosis, an intestinal disease that can be deadly for chicks. Coccidia parasites, which are released in a bird’s droppings, are common, but keeping pens clean reduces the risk. The dose in medicated feed is so low that chicks get enough exposure to acquire immunity without getting so sick they die.

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
x 2

 

[SueBaby]

Switched to all medicated feed and all is better. I do think it was a touch of diarrhea, though, as it was nearly every poop that was stinky, gooey and brown. Now everyone seems to be pooping mostly drier normal poops with a few stinkies in between. Thank you for your insight.