Found slightly bloody poo from chicks, should I dose with Sulmet now?

[dizzychicken]

I went out to clean my 4-5 week old baby chicks cage. One of the barred rocks pooed right before I picked it up and it looked blood tinged. I have been watching them all day and they seem fine all are eating and drinking.

Should I start Sulmet now or wait? Also, I have a cage of 2 weekers and all seem fine, but should I give them some just in case or wait to see if they become ill? Will it hurt to give it to them if they don't have it?

Also I have a dosing question. I water them daily and they drink out of a 1 quart waterer. Should I mix up a whole gallon or should I just mix up a half gallon (which would be 1 tblspoon of solution) so it will be made fresh every day?

Thanks for all your advice, I truly appreciate it.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

Read my advise on coccidiosis

if you can get an amproylium product
it is ery much more effective than sulmet
read my article using a wet mash as the chicks will eat tthe medicated wet mash and get well faster

 

[chilling in muscadine]

Have your chicks been exposed to the ground? I think this is where they would get cocci from. I had a chicks poo look blood tinged last year and I started to panik but I watched the chick and it didn't happen again and the chicks were fine. Maybe it was something I had giving the chicks as a treat. I would watch the chick closely and if it happens again take action.

When mixing the meds I would cut it down so you want waste any since you have to make it fresh daily. Good luck, hope your chick is O.K.

 

[speckledhen]

I agree, I'd do a round of concentrated Amprolium (Corid or Cocci-Rid) before I'd try the Sulmet.

 

[dizzychicken]

I tried to find the Corid, but no one carried it. So are you saying the Sulmet doesn't work?

 

[nnbreeder]

Often Cocci meds can be found in the livestock section for meds. It is used to treat Scours in swine and cattle. But if you can't find the Corid, Sulmet would work.

Whichever you use do it quickly as Cocci can be fatal rather fast.

 

[speckledhen]

The problem with Sulmet is that it is not effective against eimeria tenella, one of the types of cocci and the one that usually causes severe intestinal bleeding in chicks 5-8 weeks old. I know how hard it is to find Corid, believe me. If all you have is Sulmet, certainly you could use that and see if it works. As was stated, usually cocci isn't an issue until a chick has been exposed to the ground.

 

[dizzychicken]

Oh I see. Thanks for explaining that.

I did expose said chicks to the ground the other day as I was cleaning their brooder. It was only for about an hour or less, but I know that can be long enough. Right now they are all just a chirping and having fun. They are all eating well and drinking fine. I guess I will just keep a really close eye on them and treat if I am sure they have it.

Yes, I am paranoid much. LOL

Thanks for all the info.

 

[TripleH]

You might check with your local veterinarian for Corid. I've worked at
a vets office for 21 years, we always sell small amounts(pints)

 

[BarkerChickens]

I want to add that if you put anything from "outside" into the brooder, they can get Cocci too. Our chicks are indoors, but we gave them "cleaned" small pine cones to play with that obviously weren't clean enough. Two of our chicks got cocci...one of them nearly died. They were treated with Sulmet because that is what I had. All the chicks lived, but we did have to clean out the brooder and they no longer have pine cones.