Lethargic chicks, one dead

[BlixbabyFarm]

I am a new chicken owner and I know there are probably similar posts but I wanted to see if my situation was any different....?

We got chicks a month or so ago, all new chicks from private breeders/farms. First 2 jubilee orpington then a couple weeks later 1 polish, 2 cinnamon queens and 3 Rhodebars. I got the last group of 6 from an organic farm and when i told him was i feeding the chicks medicated feed he told me that as long as i was getting hatchlings and didn't introduce adult birds to my flock OR have someone on who also has birds in contact with mine there was no need to use medicate feed. They wouldn't be or get sick so long as i kept them fed and clean, etc.
SO i thought "hmm ok well he's been doing this for 20+ years and clearly knows what he's doing since he runs a sizable operation here...so ok that makes sense" *this is an all organic farm BTW

Anyhow, last night:all chicks fine.
Today: get home form work, one of the younger ones (not either jubilee) is very lethargic. VERY. I'm worried. Separate her and try and save her. 3 hours later she's dead. And I notice that my Polish seems, not himself. Fluffed up and much more calm than normal. So i'm freaking out all my chicks are going to die now!

I'm assuming it must be coccidiosis? I didn't see any abnormal poop but what else would make them so lethargic?
Second question is: was that farmer right or can day old chicks still contract coccidiosis?

I cleaned the pen and waterer everyday except one weekend we were OOT and it was changed friday before leaving and sunday when we came home.

And lastly, is there any hope of saving my flock?! one got sick and died in less than 24 hours and now another is showing signs of being "off".
Please help!!! I don't want to lose our chicks!

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. I would go ahead and get some Corid (amprollium) powder and start treatment for coccidiosis. Dosage is 1 1/2 tsp of powder per gallon of water for 5 days, and it won't hurt to treat all birds at onece. Medicated feed doesn't necessarily prevent cocci in chicks. The chick could be just dehydrated or weak, but you don't have time to worry if it is cocci or dehydration before treating. When young chicks are in areas where there are older chicks, cocci can be common while chicks are building immunity to it. Cocci is more common in chicks 3 or more weeks old, but since you lost one already, I would treat them. After treatment give several days of vitamins and probiotics to tune up the gut bacteria.

 

[BlixbabyFarm]

Thank you for the response! I am currently trying to find some corid. I can't believe we lost one so fast!

 

[Eggcessive]

Corid can be found in most feed stores in the cattle medicines in liquid or powder packets. Other brand names are Ampromed or Amprol. Sulmet can be used if Corid can't be found. It is a sulfa antibiotic, may be a little harder on the chicks, but works on the most lethal strains of coccidia. Let me know if you need dosage for that.