Is is Cocci?

[Suburban Simplicity]

Yesterday afternoon we let our 5 1/2 wk Buff Orp & 6 1/2 wk BR run around in the coop with out 9 wk EE. We have been keeping them in brooder box due to colder nights & pecking by older EE. This morning I noticed what looked like a bloody dropping in the box. I cleaned the shavings out of the box & gave them yogurt & mixed some DE in their mash. Noticed 2 more bloody looking droppings over the following hour. But have only seen "normal" droppings in the past 2 hours.

Last week the same thing happened after letting them run in the coop for 1/2 day, but because I was afraid of losing one or both chicks, I gave Sulmet in the water for 2 days & haven't seen any problems until today.

We have only had them 1 week and not sure if they were on medicated feed from hatching or not. The breeder had them in a brooder box w/ mesh floor. Have never seen dirt or grass until we introduced them to it last week. They have been on med feed for the past week (since last incident). In our coop, though, they were snacking on grower mash, grass & whatever else they pecked at.

They seem fine otherwise. The cool breeze outside makes their feathers look a little ruffled so it is hard to tell if that is a symptom or not.

Cocci? Ate something disagreeable or new? Stress from new surroundings & being pecked at?

Would love to integrate all 3 chicks in the coop soon. Worried why this happens each time they try the coop out.

I appreciate any helpful advice.

 

[MustLoveHens]

Sounds like cocci to me. You need to use Sulmet full strength for 2 days then half strength for 4 more days-six days total. I'd treat them again using the guideliness on the bottle-what is it 1 fliud oz (2 tablespoons) per 1 gallon of water for full strength doseage. More them likely you are seeing it again because the treatment was not complete.
ETA:Tthey get it from the feces so I'd change their bedding everyday. Unfotunately it can keep comming back so you may need to change the bedding for a few weeks. I would change the bedding everyday esp during treatment then keep changing it for at least another week or two after treatment.
HTH

 

[Judy]

A little bloody looking droppings is normal -- but they are at the right age for cocci which are in the soil -- not sure, so here is the poop chart (warning, lots of poop pics!)

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

If you feel it is cocci and the course of Sulmet does not do it, I would definitely switch to Corid, which is easier on their gut. There is at least one strain of cocci that Sulmet does not kill.

I would not add any more DE to their feed.

For coop cleaning, bleach does not kill cocci but ammonia does.