Help! New here...coccidiosis??

[newmama0512]

My chicks are 3wks 1day old & I have a BO that had been quiet for a few days. Realized it's a lot smaller than the others, super light, feels like her breastbone is poking out more than the others, just wants to lay around, will eat & drink, just noticed white tipped poop from her tonight. I'm researching & thinking it's coccidiosis.

* Is there anything I can do for her or is it too late? I don't have any medication here tonight.
* Does this mean my other 11 chicks will get it or already have it?
* Do I need to treat the other chicks with something?
* Do I need to change all the bedding (using wood pellets) in the brooder because of her poop? I have only been changing it once a week...do I need to change it everyday?

They spill their water, but I scoop the wet pellets out & add new. They aren't outside. I did build them a new brooder this weekend out of plywood & moved them from the stock tank.

Sorry...just really don't know what to do. Hate to think she's been suffering.

 

[Judy]

They usually won't eat or drink much if at all with cocci, and they usually have very runny poop. It would be unusual to have one sick with cocci without the rest of them also getting sick very soon. It sounds more to me like you just have a chick who isn't "thrifty" or healthy, who is failing to thrive for whatever reason, especially if the rest seem healthy and normally active. Unfortunately, it happens. Cocci are picked up from the soil, so if they haven't been exposed, it's unlikely this is the problem.

What happens with cocci, hopefully, is they gradually acquire immunity to them. Some people give the chicks a bit of sod to peck at and play with while they are still in the brooder, partly to begin this exposure, at a low level. Personally, I would only do this if they were on medicated feed or had the cocci vaccine. Chicks raised by a
broody will eat bits of the mama's poop and pick up some immunity that way.

Here is an article on cocci:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/coccidiosis-how-to-treat-it

 

[LoneStarHen]

This year I've had major problems with coccidia. When we first started with the problem, I began treating as soon as I figured out what was wrong. Now I have all chicks on medicated feed and they are getting a dose of corrid or sulmet (depending on what I have on hand) a day or two after their little feet hit the ground outside.

Out of the two groups of chicks that suddenly got really sick in the beginning - some of them pulled through with treatment, and some of them did not. They all had the exact same mannerisms, fluffed up, quiet - none seemed worse or better than any of the others in their group. The illness and the medication will affect each bird differently. Even though I've had losses due to coccidia this year - it seems that the treatment is very effective and the majority of the chicks pulled through and are doing just fine.

 

[newmama0512]

Thank you both for your help! Really appreciate it! She is the only one that isn't growing & seems smaller & weaker. She even fell over when she was walking the other night. She was eating & drinking, so I ended up giving her some yogurt & started putting ACV in their water. Tonight, she came right over with all the other ones & ate her food! Still keeping an eye on her, but a little relieved that she's possibly getting stronger!

Thanks again...you helped this new chicken mama out tremendously!