Do my chickens have Cocci or something else?

[Anoure]

I have 4 week old chickens. They have been doing great and growing and eating well. I have noticed dark runny poop in the coop but they seemed fine and healthy. Today one or two of my chickens look lethargic. One is very lethargic and sleepy when she is usually one of the most energetic, loud and hardest to catch. Something seems very wrong. The other chick seems lethargic but not as sleep/drowsy as the other one.
What could this be? What should I do? I have 4 other chick in addition to these and they seem normal.
I have been feeding starter grower mixed with some grit. Fresh water daily. They were on cedar bedding (non aromatic) and I have switched to pine thrown over the top. I have not given them any treats or other food. The poop does look very runny and black but that has been for at least 2 weeks and they were fine. They lethargy is scary. This chicken let me hold her on her back and she kept her eyes closed and didn't move. that is NOT normal. She is one of the loudest and wildest of the bunch normal. she should be flapping her wings like crazy if I try to hold her that way. Something is wrong. please help!

 

[peaceful]

not sure what is going on but cedar bedding can be poisonous. Can you remove it?

also you can try adding a little apple cider vinegar to their water and/or electrolytes as general support for their health.

 

[PoultryPedia]

With cocci, there will usually be little red streaks in their poop. The chick I had that died of it started cheeping loudly alot before getting very weak.
There are a number of other things you're chicks could have wrong that may be very treatable. You can use the "Search" function to look for additional possibilities.
Best wishes!

 

[Sissy]

Ihope what ever the problem is you get it solved
hope your chx will be ok.

 

[songbird]

The black stool usually means there is blood in it, but the blood is coming from higher up in the intestinal tract. It's black because it has been digested, as opposed to red, which is undigested blood (ie coming from the colon, close to the exit!)

 

[ging3rhoffman]

what causes cocci? my chicks are 6 weeks old now and in a new coop with straw for bedding. I hate to see post like this one, its so scary. wish i could do something.

 

[PoultryPedia]

If you buy Chick Starter feed that says it is "Medicated" (available at most feed stores), it contains a medication that treats coccidiosis.