I think the Chicks have Cocci :(

[Bleenie]

Just today I noticed some blood in the brooder and saw that one of the older chicks was acting Very lethargic and when i picked her up she was a lot lighter than the others too. After i discovered her I watched them all for about 30mins and saw another acting odd, i checked it out and did see some residue on its bottom that looked like it could be dried blood.

I've only ever had Cocci once in my flock and it was introduced by a rescued bird. These babies have all been in the brooder with no new addotions outside of new hatchlings from my flock. The only change I have made is that I recently (in the last couple days) moved about 4 ducklings in with them, just to seperate them from the others I am selling. I have raised chicks and ducklings together before though without any problems. Does anyone have any idea what could be the cause of this?

The bedding is pellets, its pretty clean and i turn it everyday and it stays dry because of the turning & stall dry i use. They have clean food & water all through the day... I have noticed that the pellet bedding causes a purple-looking algae in the water bottles if they arent cleaned everyday though, maybe the cause?

I dont have a way to the feed store until the morning so i will be getting the Sulmet them and giving it to them ASAP. I built a new, Huge brooder today to move all the chicks into. I wanted to make sure i had a clean area to treat them in & i can clean the brooder theyre in now.

It's just so strange, i would expect it to hit the teeny babies first & harder rather than the older chicks. but all the signs point to Cocci

 

[shay20]

Cocci is a bacteria, and belive it all chicks have it in there system already, now if they eat or drink from food or water that has droppings in it, the they are consuming more than there little bodys can handle which builds up and caouses them to get sick , and that will couse them to start bleeding and get week and die if untreated or waited to long.

They can get it from, moldy or wet feed, eating others droppings, dirty water. Like in a brooder when teh chicks spill there water, corners are harder to clean, cocci can build up there or under there water dish or feeder dish too , and that builds i belive like an bacteria in there air and that can couse it as well.
I am not an expert so if i am wrong then someone will jump in.