Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :
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What is that?
Cocci is the Coccidiosis disease that usually just affects chicks. It's one of the most flock-devastating protozoan parasitic diseases. Here's a good synopsis:
If you've ever survived a round of Cocci in your own flock, you know what I mean about devastating. If you're new to the Fancy with a cute little backyard flock, your days are numbered for heartbreak. It will come from nowhere in the form of a once healthy nice little bird suddenly looking as though they've ruffled their feathers. They may already be sulking in a corner. Then comes the bloody diarrhea or the oozing of clear fluid from the mouth when you pick them up. By this time, it's too late - most of the damage is already done, and it's only taken about 96 hours to get there. Cocci outbreaks are particularly disappointing because they usually strike our youngsters. Adult birds have some resistance to it, but only to the particular strain they've already been exposed to. If you bring in a brand new strain from another farm on your shoes, and conditions are right for their multiplication (damp litter or soil, spring-like temperatures), the adults will fall victim too.
Very sad, killed my little buff bantam in the picture with my BTW bantams. For some reason, my roosters didn't get sick, just her. And, by the time we noticed she was sick (the very day she got sick we noticed!!!) it was too late. She died the very next AM. So, now I feed my chicks MEDICATED FEED ONLY!!!!!!!!!! I didn't feed them the medicated, because I was new to the chicken thing and just didn't know. BUT NOW I DO!!!
So, to anyone who doesn't know, please feed your chicks MEDICATED CHICK STARTER! Especially if you have other chickens. You never know when you might just have a tiny bit of stool on your shoe and transfer it near your chicks. I am a very clean and OCD person about my chicken pens, but it still happened to me.
Hope somebody learned something from my mistake.