They were in a small brooder it was wet a lot not good they were overcrowded on pine shavings. The cukoos and the leghorns were mostly in there and the orph on wire. The orphs were great untill we turned them out now were losing them too. Theyre in an area outside the size of 4 cattle panels and they just huddle up so bad could it just be over crowding? were in oklahoma. I havent nkticed any thing wrong with their stool no blood to make me think its cocci. I called a vet he said maybe west nile or botulisim? They are outside now pertwo weeks or so. Wehave turkeys two one died yesterday they were raised together from the hatchery. Would it hurt to go ahead withsome antibiotics?
I would suspect cocci...wet bedding is a breeding ground for it and will kill chicks and even adult chickens very quickly.
I would suggest starting them on Corid. Use only treated water while treating them, offer no other water. The dosages are 2 tsp per gallon of the liquid, and 1/2 tsp to 3/4th tsp per gallon of the powder. You can find it at a
TSC or your local feed store. They recommend treating for 5-7 days. Maybe you should try mixing a gallon or so, and adding it to some feed, so they will get the meds in them quicker when you first start treatment, as well as their water containers. Keep all containers free of poop, and change out all bedding. I used 1 tsp per gallon of the powder for mine, for the first few days, as they were really sick. Then tapered down to 1/2 tsp per gallon, by the end and treated all the flock for 7 days. The 1/2 tsp recommendation is for moderately sick birds, really sick ones need a little boost. I also deep cleaned their coop with half and half, water and ammonia, then replaced with all new bedding. If this is cocci, and I suspect it is, according you what you said, it is very important to treat immediately!!! Also, do not use vitamins or medicated feed while treating with the Corid! Best of luck and hope your flock bounces back quick! Oh, also, I am going to wait the two weeks and retreat, if I think nessesary, for another 7 days...I'm also going slow adding the vitamins back. Haven't yet, as their feed, chick starter grower has all the vitamins and nutrients they need. I did not lose one bird either. They are doing fine now!
edited to add, if you do the wet feed, use only enough feed that they will eat in about two hours then remove, if anything is left...mine LOVED it and those that were not eating at all, even gobbled it up, so got the meds into them quickly and that was the turn around point for us...the wet feed with meds in water poured over the feed!
