First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[billybobjo]

The feed store told me my chicks can't have Cocci because I got them at 3 days and they have been inside, in a new brooder and haven't been exposed to any other birds. Is this true? They have been on medicated feed since I got them.

 

[Jensownzoo]

The feed store told me my chicks can't have Cocci because I got them at 3 days and they have been inside, in a new brooder and haven't been exposed to any other birds. Is this true? They have been on medicated feed since I got them.

Cocci are transmitted by the bird eating the poop of another infected bird. They can come across the poop directly or can get it from being exposed to something that has been exposed to the poop (e.g. your shoes). Very rare for chicks under 3 weeks old to become sick with coccidiosis simply due to the reproductive lifecycle of the coccidia organism...they would have had to eaten massive numbers of coccidia directly to get sick.

The digestive system of young chicks is still maturing, so many things other than coccidiosis can result in pretty nasty diarrhea. Treating for coccidiosis is pretty innocuous though, just in case you have that rare chick that slurped down enough coccidia to make them sick early.

 

[realsis]

The feed store told me my chicks can't have Cocci because I got them at 3 days and they have been inside, in a new brooder and haven't been exposed to any other birds. Is this true? They have been on medicated feed since I got them.

This is NOT true. They can aquire coccidosis from feces in the brooder as I understand it. It does NOT only have to be acquired outside and from soil. Coccidosis happens when they get a overload of a strain of Cocci they are not immune too. This can happen with the feces in the brooder.

 

[Jensownzoo]

This is NOT true. They can aquire coccidosis from feces in the brooder as I understand it. It does NOT only have to be acquired outside and from soil. Coccidosis happens when they get a overload of a strain of Cocci they are not immune too. This can happen with the feces in the brooder.

Not if the brooder is new. No old feces and uninfected chicks can't infect themselves with their own poop. If it was a previously used brooder and not disinfected properly, then yes. The oocysts can persist for quite a while.

 

[billybobjo]

It is a brand new brooder with pine shavings and kept dry and clean. So if this is the case, it was probably something else that killed the chicks? One was just a week old and didn't thrive (looked a little unhealthy from the start), the second seemed fine and then I heard a big "thump" and guessed it tried to fly out and got injured OR it was having a seizure or something that caused the thumping sound. It couldn't breath well (beak open) like possibly an internal injury?

 

[billybobjo]

Thank you so much for your help I'm at a loss. It scares me to think I could lose another baby

 

[WildIrishRose]

Such a great idea! :] I am getting my first chicks this weekend! I have four girls already, but I didn't get them until they were already a year old. So this will be our first chick experience. I am super excited.
I am mainly getting some Black Copper Marans, a few Barred Rocks, and if they have some left-- German Vorwerks. I was hoping to get some Olive Eggers, but it's been a nightmare trying to find any in the area.
My plan is to have my broody foster them.

 

[Nicole3350]

These are my babies,can anyone tell what breed they are?

 

[AmandaMBG]

Baby chicks are in the mail!!! Anyone know how long it usually takes to get chicks from McMurray? I'm in UT.

 

[jessschlles4]

Not sure how long it takes, but you'll love your chicks! Good luck with them. Please keep us posted!