Hi! I am new to chickens, and got six chicks on Thursday, they were born Tuesday. I've been worried about one of the Barred Rock chicks since soon after moving them into their brooder. On her first day here, she seemed really lethargic, ruffled feathers and kind of out of it. At first, she kept falling asleep under the drinking bottle, and then she eventually went under the heat plate and mostly stayed there, while the other five chicks were very curious and moving in and out of the heat plate, scratching, eating etc.
Then, this morning, she was moving around with the other chicks -- eating and drinking and I was feeling really optimistic for her! But then, I saw her poop. The first time, it was bloody (photo) and the second time it was kind of a clear liquid with a yellow sticky/mucus center.
The chicks are not vaccinated for coccidiosis, but they have been on medicated chick starter grower feed (MannaPro brand) since yesterday. They have been drinking plain water. For now, I'm keeping them in a play pen w/ puppy pads covered in paper towels on the ground -- at least for the first couple days. I've changed it three times in the past 24 hours.
But, I'm really worried about the Barred Rock chick becoming sicker and sicker, and potentially infecting the rest.
Any advice for what to do?
Thanks in advance, I've been frantically googling and feeling super worried.
(A few specific questions:
-- Do you think it's coccidiosis? And if so, I have liquid Corrid. Should I continue to keep them in the same pen, and use that?
-- Can I put probiotics in the water at the same time?
-- Should I stop feeding the medicated food, and start them on non-medicated food? If so, can you switch completely or does it have to be gradual/mixing the foods a bit.)
Thanks again for taking the time to read this.
Then, this morning, she was moving around with the other chicks -- eating and drinking and I was feeling really optimistic for her! But then, I saw her poop. The first time, it was bloody (photo) and the second time it was kind of a clear liquid with a yellow sticky/mucus center.
The chicks are not vaccinated for coccidiosis, but they have been on medicated chick starter grower feed (MannaPro brand) since yesterday. They have been drinking plain water. For now, I'm keeping them in a play pen w/ puppy pads covered in paper towels on the ground -- at least for the first couple days. I've changed it three times in the past 24 hours.
But, I'm really worried about the Barred Rock chick becoming sicker and sicker, and potentially infecting the rest.
Any advice for what to do?
![Frown :( :(](/styles/byc-smilies/sad.png)
(A few specific questions:
-- Do you think it's coccidiosis? And if so, I have liquid Corrid. Should I continue to keep them in the same pen, and use that?
-- Can I put probiotics in the water at the same time?
-- Should I stop feeding the medicated food, and start them on non-medicated food? If so, can you switch completely or does it have to be gradual/mixing the foods a bit.)
Thanks again for taking the time to read this.