How long to keep chicks separated

[plantcityhomestead]

One of my Delaware chicks died 3 weeks ago. Healthy one day, dead the next morning with a bloody vent. I have kept the others isolated from the rest of the flock. They all appear healthy and active. When can I safely move them in with the rest of the flock?

 

[kagedgoddess]

How old are your chicks and are they on medicated feed? Could it have been cocci? Im no chicken illness expert, but i know cocci symptoms are bloody stools/vent. Cocci will always be present in them once theyve had it and it will get into your soil where they poo and pretty much will always be present. If you think its cocci, put every chick on medicated feed and anytime you get new chicks use medicated feed. You dont have to worry about the adults so much. If the babies are healthy now and its been 3 weeks since they ve Shown signs of illness it Might be ok, you might wait another week to be sure though

 

[plantcityhomestead]

Thanks for the input. I think it probably was cocci. I expected to loose them all when the one chick died, but they have done well to this point. I always use medicated starter, do I need to use medicated feed for their entire lives? I was planning on keeping them on medicated starter, but I don't know if I have access to medicated layer feed. They are only 2 months old, so they still have several months on starter.

 

[cashdl]

No you don't want to use medicated started for ever and they don't have medicated layer. When your chicks are old enough switch them to a layer food. You can put organic apple cidar vinegar in their water now and keep doing it forever. It is good for cocci and actually helps with digestion and a whole mess of other things. I use 1 table spoon per gallon. Every once in a while check for bloody poop and put a cocci medicine in their water.


Lanae

 

[kagedgoddess]

Adults dont need medicated feed. They should be fine. There is medication for cocci if adults get it but i think that happens very rarely