Lots of bloody stool in chicken coop this morning... :( ---(gross pics)

[Malkaris]

Okay, maybe a new catastrophe... I picked up a hen this morning trying to figure out where some missing feathers I found in my yard yesterday evening came from (injury?) and there was a clump of bloody something on a chicken and blood on my hand.

I realized there was a very bloody little pile on the floor which a hen must've stepped in. I looked by the roost and there are a couple more, albeit with less blood.

I'll try and post pics if that's OK - I know they'll be gross.

I'm guessing my lavender or black orpington from what I remember about where they were perched last night. But I can't tell for sure - everyone was running around fine and eating.

Is there something other than intestinal lining shed and Coccidiosis? I'm going to see if I can get the meds anyway. They've tightened everything here...

Pullets are almost 19 weeks old and spent the first several (10?) weeks on medicated feed.

(^ ignore the green thing, that's part of something else)

 

[RainbowHen]

Thanks, will definitely do.
Is there any other common thing otherwise that causes bloody stool? I found no injuries.
Should I give probiotics afterwards?

Amprolium isn't an antibiotic but probiotics afterwards won't hurt anything. Amprolium starves the coccidia of vitamin B (I believe). Be sure to not add and vitamins or electrolytes to the water during treatment. That amount of blood in the stool is really only seen in coccidiosis. Shed intestinal lining can cause some blood in the stool but that's not what we are seeing here.

 

[Eggcessive]

Glad that you have given the amprollium. Sorry about all of the extra work involved. You cannot really sterilize their area, but keeping everything dry and adding new bedding when needed is the best way to prevent reinfection. They will normally build up a tolerance to coccidia in their soil and droppings. Probiotics and vitamins can help replace what is lost in coccidiosis and treatment. Sulfa antibiotics sometimes are required for some resistance strains of coccidia. Here is a good link about safely giving medications and liquids into the esophagus:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[Malkaris]

Blood is sometimes found in the coop from a pulled out blood feather or a pecked comb. I have seen some large spots on the roost boards which looked like a massacre, and never found a source. But if it was mostly combined with droppings, it may be coccidiosis. Worming them at some point might be a good idea, but treating for coccidiosis would be something I would do first. Amprollium is very safe.

That's a big relief. Tomorrow morning will be here soon.

And I wish I had figured out who the feathers I found belonged to. Some of them definitely had blood in them. Still definitely looked like blood + poo so I'll start with Cocci...

I hope my earlier message didn't come off as rude to you Eggcessive, btw. I was just wishing I could still buy common treatments like people can in other places, even if I could do it online. If it weren't for the pandemic it'd be worth a trip across the border.

 

[Eggcessive]

Did the pullet you picked up have any injuries or a prolapsed vent which was the “clump of bloody something?) They are old enough to have built up tolerance coccidiosis, but I would get some Corid to start in the water at the maximum dose if you cannot find an injury or prolapse. Look at their vents for more blood.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would go to a feed store and get the Corid and buy Corid today. Dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid or 1.5 tsp of the powder per gallon of water as the only source, for 7 days. Then you may decrease the dose. Vets sometimes will prescribe Albon or other sulfa antibiotics. But since you have a vet, you could take in some of those droppings to day and get them tested for coccidia. Here is a dosage chart for Corid:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/6635518/width/500/height/1000

 

[Malkaris]

Where are you located?

I'm in Atlantic Canada.

 

[RainbowHen]

I'm in Atlantic Canada.

Oh alright. Definitely start the amprolium as soon as you get it. Good luck!

 

[Malkaris]

Oh alright. Definitely start the amprolium as soon as you get it. Good luck!

Thanks, will definitely do.
Is there any other common thing otherwise that causes bloody stool? I found no injuries.
Should I give probiotics afterwards?

 

[Eggcessive]

Worms can sometimes cause blood in droppings, but I would treat with amprollium first, unless your vet orders a sulfa drug.