How do I tell the difference between chicks fluffiness from heat or begining of cocci?

[mithious]

We are experiencing a heat wave, as most of you on the east coast know.

I read an article that said if you have fluffy chicks, they have cocci.

I am feeding one bag of medicated feed to my chicks. They are now 3 weeks and 3 days old and I moved them out to their coop, last Saturday.

I have noticed that some of the chicks are "fluffy" BUT, they also try to all fit under the water container, which is cold water, when I change it, and I have added a fan to blow into their coop, at the advise of the guy at the feed store. They don't have a run yet. Soon, but not yet.

So my question is, how do I know if this is simply from them being too hot, I know I am sweating beyond belief, even with a fan, and cocci?

They are sleepy too, but so am I from the heat...even the kittie is sleeping more and eating less.

Even I am more sleepy and nodding off in the middle of the day from the heat.

No one is acting sick, just fluffy and sleepy...I have noticed this since the heat got really bad! I live in the mountains of New Hampshire!

Would really like some advise on what you all think. I have done all I can about the heat wave we are having for them...

Thank you!

 

[angel8035]

If they are hot they will be panting/open mouth breathing and their wings may droop away from their bodies. If they have cocci, they will stand in the corner away from the other chicks with their feathers fluffed up. Check the temperatures inside your coop...if they have no way to get outside into the shade, they could very well overheat as inside buildings will be hotter in a heat wave.

 

[mithious]

If they are hot they will be panting/open mouth breathing and their wings may droop away from their bodies. If they have cocci, they will stand in the corner away from the other chicks with their feathers fluffed up. Check the temperatures inside your coop...if they have no way to get outside into the shade, they could very well overheat as inside buildings will be hotter in a heat wave.

I did, it's just as hot outside as inside. I have been changing their water every two hours with cold water for two days now. They are spread out all around the coop..I have the fan blowing in the coop, to atleast circulate the air, but my cabin is just as hot...no where is any different...there is NO cool place to go, for any of us!

Some of them are up on the little roost I made them, which is in front of the fan, sorta, it's a bit higher than them, but most are all fluffy, some have their wings out too, and all are sleepy, but so is my cat and me also????

I am feeding medicated starter/grower to help with cocci...They feel pretty warm when I pick them up also..and trying to get under the water container when I put cold water in it...am I over reacting? I wish I had a safe and cooler place for them to go. The coop is under the trees'.

We don't ususally have heat like this, nor the high humidity...but I did build their coop in, under the tree's....

Should I treat for cocci? even if I don't know? and when they are on the medicated feed?

Thanks for helping!

 

[angel8035]

It sounds like it's just heat, but it doesn't hurt to treat with Corid and it could save lives if you do suspect Cocci.

 

[mithious]

It sounds like it's just heat, but it doesn't hurt to treat with Corid and it could save lives if you do suspect Cocci.

That's just it, I didn't suspect cocci, until I read an article about fluffy/sleepy chicks means cocci...I just thought it was the heat, since it all started when the heat went sky high...a few days ago...so started with the cold water, then went to the fan today to try to help.

We have had this heat for 3 days now, I noticed, yesterday I think, one of the pullets was fluffy and thought, well tomorrow I will get a fan, as today, as predicted, is even hotter!!! I think it's the hottest day we have had so far this year!

Will it be ok to treat for cocci with them on the medicated feed?

 

[samidodamage]

I've never dealt with cocci, but I do know heat/heat waves. Frozen water bottles help. I freeze 2 liter bottles for the adults and the smaller 20-24 ounce bottles for the chicks. Just lay the frozen bottles around the coop/run and they lay against them to cool off. A frozen 20-24 ounce bottle fits inside my gallon drinker for the adults and keeps that water cool longer as well. A frozen 2 liter bottle in front of the fan also should help the chicks; the air will be cooled as it blows across the bottle. Problem is keeping frozen bottles. I try to freeze twice the number of bottles I will need, put out half and from then just switch frozen for melted, putting melted back into freezer.
I also freeze veggies/fruit and give as treats frequently during the heat of the day. If it gets really bad (for us that's 100* or higher, mine are pretty well adjusted to double digit heat with high humidity), I will take a hose and mist down the run as well as hose down the coop roof and external walls.
I think I'd try frozen stuff to cool them down and see if they're still 'fluffy' before I'd give medication, though I know you don't want to wait too long if it is cocci...maybe someone else will know more about cocci and treatments.

 

[mithious]

Just went out and spent some time with the chicks and gave them some cold yogurt with chick grit. I really think it's the heat...all of them came running when I yelled "chickens", which is my word for come get treats...it seemed to cool them off and I held some up in front of the fan with their wings spread a bit and they sat right down in my hand...so, will keep this water, fan, yogurt thing going till the heat breaks. Supposed to be Friday?

Thanks Michelle, for helping!!! Never had cocci before, especially when I feed one bag of medicated to start them! I gotta stop reading everything and taking it for gospel!!!


Thanks again
Mithious

 

[mithious]

I've never dealt with cocci, but I do know heat/heat waves. Frozen water bottles help. I freeze 2 liter bottles for the adults and the smaller 20-24 ounce bottles for the chicks. Just lay the frozen bottles around the coop/run and they lay against them to cool off. A frozen 20-24 ounce bottle fits inside my gallon drinker for the adults and keeps that water cool longer as well. A frozen 2 liter bottle in front of the fan also should help the chicks; the air will be cooled as it blows across the bottle. Problem is keeping frozen bottles. I try to freeze twice the number of bottles I will need, put out half and from then just switch frozen for melted, putting melted back into freezer.
I also freeze veggies/fruit and give as treats frequently during the heat of the day. If it gets really bad (for us that's 100* or higher, mine are pretty well adjusted to double digit heat with high humidity), I will take a hose and mist down the run as well as hose down the coop roof and external walls.
I think I'd try frozen stuff to cool them down and see if they're still 'fluffy' before I'd give medication, though I know you don't want to wait too long if it is cocci...maybe someone else will know more about cocci and treatments.

GREAT ideas, thank you sooo much!!! Mine are not good in the heat...the BR's are cold hardy, not so much for the heat...LOVE the frozen water bottle idea! I did a test with them and am pretty sure it is heat related and not cocci...spent quite a bit of time in with them, fed them cold yogurt...that helped a lot...!!! That was their first time too...they loved it...tested my heat theory with putting a few up to the fan and they settled right down in my hand. Today was 95 degrees with 99% humidity...we don't get the humidity and never get the 90's but for a couple weeks beginning of August..it's coolin just a tad and the fan seems to be helping also! Not in the cabin, the birds got the good fan, LOL

Huge thanks for the ideas, will be using them all!!!

Mithious

 

[samidodamage]

GREAT ideas, thank you sooo much!!! Mine are not good in the heat...the BR's are cold hardy, not so much for the heat...LOVE the frozen water bottle idea! I did a test with them and am pretty sure it is heat related and not cocci...spent quite a bit of time in with them, fed them cold yogurt...that helped a lot...!!! That was their first time too...they loved it...tested my heat theory with putting a few up to the fan and they settled right down in my hand. Today was 95 degrees with 99% humidity...we don't get the humidity and never get the 90's but for a couple weeks beginning of August..it's coolin just a tad and the fan seems to be helping also! Not in the cabin, the birds got the good fan, LOL

Huge thanks for the ideas, will be using them all!!!

Mithious

You are very welcome. Some of my breeds are not known for heat tolerance, but I try to get them locally and they seem to handle the heat pretty well. I watch my cochins closely and begin cooling measures when they seem stressed, so I never really see heat stress in the others.

 

[mithious]

You are very welcome. Some of my breeds are not known for heat tolerance, but I try to get them locally and they seem to handle the heat pretty well. I watch my cochins closely and begin cooling measures when they seem stressed, so I never really see heat stress in the others.

I have only BR's. I am just getting back into chickens after a long time, so chose them for the cold tolerance and my Daddy and I used to raise them in the 60's through the 80's. Daddy still did, I just grew up and moved! Really love the breed. Have ordered some Heritage BR's for next spring and a few Heritage Dom's also! I want to get into breeding the heritage lines. Started with the 15 hatchery BR's just to make sure I still had it in me! So much has changed since I used to raise birds with my Daddy, then when my kids were young we had some too. Been a long time though.

The heat is finally letting up a bit...the coop is nice, the cabin, not so much...the birds got the good fan, like I said! Sounds like we might have a thunder storm coming. That should cool things down quick! I try to keep my birds as stress free as possible. Healthy, happy birds are my goal. I am really good with animals, and have a head on my shoulders too, so with a bit of help, like you did, I can usually get things straightened out. Just checked on the flock and they are doing well. Changed the water and for the first time in a few days, none of them climbed under. Well, we are gonna get hit with a good storm, so gotta shut down and shut up the birds, ect. Thanks again for everything!
Mithious