Intestinal shedding, Coccidia or invermectin side effect?

[Sparklypants]

Hello people, please help!
I have 4 chickens that I help take care of at work and recently I found there poop with this orange/red color in it. I am worried that it might be coccidia although it doesn’t look like the other photos I have see for this disease, could it be intestinal shedding? Two of the birds are about 18 months (Buffy and a speckled Sussex) and the other are maybe 2 years old (Cochins). They were recently treated for scaly leg mites with invermectin, could it also be a side effect of this? I didn’t want to use the invermectin but was out voted, is it safe and has anybody else experienced this symptoms when using it?
Advice is appreciated, very worried chicken mamma
Thank you
Emma

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello people, please help!
I have 4 chickens that I help take care of at work and recently I found there poop with this orange/red color in it. I am worried that it might be coccidia although it doesn’t look like the other photos I have see for this disease, could it be intestinal shedding? Two of the birds are about 18 months (Buffy and a speckled Sussex) and the other are maybe 2 years old (Cochins). They were recently treated for scaly leg mites with invermectin, could it also be a side effect of this? I didn’t want to use the invermectin but was out voted, is it safe and has anybody else experienced this symptoms when using it?
Advice is appreciated, very worried chicken mamma
Thank you
Emma

These birds belong to a place of business, non profit - who is ultimately responsible for the care of these birds?
Are they under vet care?
The best thing you can do is have a fecal float performed by the vet. This will help rule out worms and coccidiosis.
What type of food/treats are given?
What was the dosage of Ivermectin and how was it administered?

 

[micstrachan]

+1 to fecal float. Have they eaten anything that is the color of the poop?

 

[Sparklypants]

These birds belong to a place of business, non profit - who is ultimately responsible for the care of these birds?
Are they under vet care?
The best thing you can do is have a fecal float performed by the vet. This will help rule out worms and coccidiosis.
What type of food/treats are given?
What was the dosage of Ivermectin and how was it administered?

They belong to a school. They have an organic scratch and peck layer feed, oyster shell, grit and various fruits and vegetables but nothing orange or red for the days leading up to this. A lady who takes care of the chickens from another campus administered liquid drops onto the chicken skin 8 drops for small Cochins and 10 drops for the bigger birds the Buffy and speckled Sussex, I was treating with Vaseline and didn’t want to use invermectin as the Buffy and speckled lay eggs but ultimately it wasn’t my choice. I didn’t find any more poop like this for a few days but then I found some more this morning, should I keep it and have it tested by the vet to rule out worms and disease?

 

[Sparklypants]

+1 to fecal float. Have they eaten anything that is the color of the poop?

Nothing of this color for the days leading up to it I think fecal float is a good idea thank you

 

[Cragg Klefor]

I would be really interested to hear what the fecal test results are please, that looks like a lot of shedding if that is what it is. I would be concerned if they were mine.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They belong to a school. They have an organic scratch and peck layer feed, oyster shell, grit and various fruits and vegetables but nothing orange or red for the days leading up to this. A lady who takes care of the chickens from another campus administered liquid drops onto the chicken skin 8 drops for small Cochins and 10 drops for the bigger birds the Buffy and speckled Sussex, I was treating with Vaseline and didn’t want to use invermectin as the Buffy and speckled lay eggs but ultimately it wasn’t my choice. I didn’t find any more poop like this for a few days but then I found some more this morning, should I keep it and have it tested by the vet to rule out worms and disease?

Yes, I would collect some samples and get the school to have that tested.

Have you noticed if the hens eat all the feed or are they just picking and choosing choice pieces out of that organic feed? Several people have reported that with a feed like that, the chickens eat what they like and leave the rest, this could cause an imbalance in nutrients or if they are eating just the "goodies" then it could cause some health problems. I'm surprised a school would fork out the funds for Scratch and Peck.
You can still put vaseline on the legs to help them heal. Ivermectin would need to be repeated again in 10-14days so you may want to remind her of that as well. Dosing for Pour On 0.09 ml per pound of weight.

What happens to the eggs? Who gets them?

 

[Sparklypants]

Yes, I would collect some samples and get the school to have that tested.

Have you noticed if the hens eat all the feed or are they just picking and choosing choice pieces out of that organic feed? Several people have reported that with a feed like that, the chickens eat what they like and leave the rest, this could cause an imbalance in nutrients or if they are eating just the "goodies" then it could cause some health problems. I'm surprised a school would fork out the funds for Scratch and Peck.
You can still put vaseline on the legs to help them heal. Ivermectin would need to be repeated again in 10-14days so you may want to remind her of that as well. Dosing for Pour On 0.09 ml per pound of weight.

What happens to the eggs? Who gets them?

I didn’t know the invermectin should be repeated the lady who administers has done it to all the chickens but she didn’t mention doing it twice. She does it twice a year as prevention. Do you use it?is it safe and can you still eat the eggs she said there is no down time? The eggs go to the school, two of the chickens are laying only the Buffy and the speckled Sussex.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I didn’t know the invermectin should be repeated the lady who administers has done it to all the chickens but she didn’t mention doing it twice. She does it twice a year as prevention. Do you use it?is it safe and can you still eat the eggs she said there is no down time? The eggs go to the school, two of the chickens are laying only the Buffy and the speckled Sussex.

Well, you are sort of in a hard place since the chickens belong to a school. It would be up to whoever is the administrator or the vet to recommend treatment and withdrawal guideline for different medications and ailments.

If she is administering the Ivermectin as a preventative for SLM, then why do they have them? She needs to revisit her treatment plan or re-consult the vet.

Most medications are not "labeled" for use in poultry. You would need to do some research or follow the guidelines that the vet has set forth in their use. You would need to determine what is a safe throwaway period, if any.

http://www.poultrydvm.com/drugs/ivermectin
https://poultrykeeper.com/poultry-medication/ivermectin-for-worms-lice-mites/
http://www.farad.org/publications/miscellaneous/LayingHensEggResidues.pdf

 

[Kiki]

Have the poop tested by the nearest dog vet for worms.