Is this coccidiosis or intestinal shedding?

[MaeM]

My chickens were diagnosed with coccidiosis about a month ago. They didn't have any symptoms, but cocci showed up in a checkup. I can't remember the exact name of the med that the vet gave me to treat them... it was something like sulpha... sulphonamide? maybe. I had to put this powder into their waterer for 3 days, stop for 3 days, then repeat.

Now there's someone in the flock pooping like this. Should I be concerned? I have some powder left. Should I repeat the treatment?

 

[Eggcessive]

If you see that, which looks like bloody fluid bits, I would repeat the treatment of the sulfonamide antibiotic. It doesn’t look like intestinal shed. You could also instead try to get another fecal float done by the vet. Are any acting off, lethargic, or not eating? Make sure the bedding is bone dry, kept stirred, and add new bedding when needed.

 

[Banana01]

Were they enclosed and guaranteed to only have the medicated water? I too use sulfa and do 3 day treatments of varying dose strengths. There is a preventative dose and a treatment dose. Cocci damages the intestinal walls and causes it to shed like that, so the treatment may have worked. You could do another 3 days of a lower dose.

I even isolate one or a few and sometimes only do a couple days. It depends on what other signs you are seeing of the illness. I dont know if a single dropping is enough evidence, the instrucrions for sulfa do have a few days in between treatment to give regular water. Also depends on the ages of the chickens. Probably a few more days wouldnt be a bad idea.

Edit: i just reread that a month has passed, it may be a good idea to retreat, but i have noticed when i retreat i never do the full 6 days, they usually perk up in a few days.

 

[MaeM]

If you see that, which looks like bloody fluid bits, I would repeat the treatment of the sulfonamide antibiotic. It doesn’t look like intestinal shed. You could also instead try to get another fecal float done by the vet. Are any acting off, lethargic, or not eating? Make sure the bedding is bone dry, kept stirred, and add new bedding when needed.

No, the chickens are all great. Even when they were diagnosed, they were pooping normally. Just the rooster is underweight. Now someone (I don't know who) is pooping like this.

I am repeating the treatment. Do you guys agree with the dose? 2 gr of powder per liter of water for 3 days, rest for 3 days, restart?

@Banana01 now that I think about it, it rained that week... and these bastards (my chickens) probably drank from puddles at least one day.

They are all about 1 year old, btw.

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you have a photo or a description of the sulfa product you are using? What does the label say? Some sulfa drugs say to use for a couple of days at one strength, and to reduce the strength.

 

[Banana01]

No, the chickens are all great. Even when they were diagnosed, they were pooping normally. Just the rooster is underweight. Now someone (I don't know who) is pooping like this.

I am repeating the treatment. Do you guys agree with the dose? 2 gr of powder per liter of water for 3 days, rest for 3 days, restart?

@Banana01 now that I think about it, it rained that week... and these bastards (my chickens) probably drank from puddles at least one day.

They are all about 1 year old, btw.

The medicine works best when you truly isolate in a cage and supply only the medicated water. Honestly if their weights are all good and none are showing symptoms of lethargy or mouth breathing, maybe monitor longer and hope for the best. 1 year old is fairly advanced to succomb to only a single diarreah.

You always have the option to restart a full treatment if symptoms appear or diarreah continues.

2 grams sounds correct, but thats a rough guess without seeing the medicine. Try it, wouldnt do harm. Are you going to treat only the rooster who is underweight?

I deal with these on and off sulfa treatments but with much younger peeps of only 3 or 4 months old. The older ones are resiliant.

 

[MaeM]

The label says it's for doves and rabbits. It's not specifically for chickens because those are generally sold in huge quantities for farmers where I live.

Anyways, it says it has:
Sulfadimethoxine sodium - 3.0 gr
Sulfaquinoxaline sodium- 3.0 gr
Trimethoprim- 1.2 gr
Vitamin K - 0.1 gr


The dosage in the label is 2 gr per liter of water for 3 days, rest for 2 days, and repeat for other 3 days. But I'm asking you because this a product for doves, and my vet is not an avian specialist but he is the only one available here.

I'd like to treat the whole flock because I think that only one of them is pooping like this, I mean, I've spotted more bloody droppings but not enough quantity to think that I have more than one bird with symptoms. But I don't know who he/she is. And I have a hen who lays soft shelled eggs, I don't know if she is underweight too, but maybe she has a bad nutrition due to cocci? Calcium supplements didn't work, then I found out about cocci.

 

[Banana01]

The label says it's for doves and rabbits. It's not specifically for chickens because those are generally sold in huge quantities for farmers where I live.

Anyways, it says it has:
Sulfadimethoxine sodium - 3.0 gr
Sulfaquinoxaline sodium- 3.0 gr
Trimethoprim- 1.2 gr
Vitamin K - 0.1 gr


The dosage in the label is 2 gr per liter of water for 3 days, rest for 2 days, and repeat for other 3 days. But I'm asking you because this a product for doves, and my vet is not an avian specialist but he is the only one available here.

I'd like to treat the whole flock because I think that only one of them is pooping like this, I mean, I've spotted more bloody droppings but not enough quantity to think that I have more than one bird with symptoms. But I don't know who he/she is. And I have a hen who lays soft shelled eggs, I don't know if she is underweight too, but maybe she has a bad nutrition due to cocci? Calcium supplements didn't work, then I found out about cocci.

Did you end up treating the entire flock again? You could do another 3 days and rest. The medicine messes with their internal digestive system, so be ready to feed them their regular feed and possibly supplement some probiotics or extra protein after the 3 days.

 

[MaeM]

Did you end up treating the entire flock again? You could do another 3 days and rest. The medicine messes with their internal digestive system, so be ready to feed them their regular feed and possibly supplement some probiotics or extra protein after the 3 days.

Yes, I have treated the entire flock again and I'm not seeing bloody feces anymore. I guess that's good news!

I actually want to supply my hens with a calcium supplement, especially the one who lays soft-shelled eggs, can I do that right after a cocci treatment?

And I think they also need extra protein because they're not growing feathers - even the rooster has lost its tail feathers, he looks horrible! Anything you recommend?

 

[Banana01]

Yes, I have treated the entire flock again and I'm not seeing bloody feces anymore. I guess that's good news!

I actually want to supply my hens with a calcium supplement, especially the one who lays soft-shelled eggs, can I do that right after a cocci treatment?

And I think they also need extra protein because they're not growing feathers - even the rooster has lost its tail feathers, he looks horrible! Anything you recommend?

I guess it depends how many chickens do you have in your flock for do figure out what protein supplement to use. If you have a lot of chickens you may need to buy a higher protein feed.

Calcium supplement should clear up the soft shelled eggs quickly. Do you give oyster shell or a supplement? I mix a calcium supplement with their dry food every few days, but everyone has a different way to supplement calcium.