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

[Malkaris]

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.

That's exactly what I wanted to know, thanks. I'm wondering whether healing from the wound the rooster gave her maybe knocked back the lavender hen's immune system if it's her.

I was going to write something else...
Probably just that the hens have been in their run a lot more than usual for various reasons.

 

[Malkaris]

Sorry for the double post, but if there's one good thing to come out of this, the vet staff at this place are really nice and reasonable. I had a fill-in vet who was great, the medication was 4$, and the staff I met when I picked it up were nice too! A refreshing change frankly.

One thing is for sure: I've never been so happy to see a chicken drink! I hope she gets better. It was pretty bad this morning.

Okay... *deep breath* Day 1 (of meds):

(I think this is what the "bloody something" would've looked like if it hadn't been on the shavings.)

 

[Eggcessive]

It may become like Canada here soon. Because of antibiotic resistance most feed and farm stores don’t sell most antibiotics without a prescription any more. Of course, amprollium is not an antibiotic, but at present, we can still buy it in the US. Permethrin for lice or mites is something we can still buy for now, but it could become unavailable as it is in Canada one day.

 

[Malkaris]

It may become like Canada here soon. Because of antibiotic resistance most feed and farm stores don’t sell most antibiotics without a prescription any more. Of course, amprollium is not an antibiotic, but at present, we can still buy it in the US. Permethrin for lice or mites is something we can still buy for now, but it could become unavailable as it is in Canada one day.

And I definitely appreciate the danger of antibiotic resistance and the need to counteract it. So many use antibiotics unnecessarily too.

But I wish there was a middle ground between accessing what we know we need quickly for a decent-ish price and waiting for days for an appointment and having to pay 10x more. Cat/dog dewormers for example.

I don't know a lot about Cocci but what would have happened if I had had to wait until Monday or later to start treatment because the bird doc was out? So much blood - it seems pretty bad already...

 

[Malkaris]

Oh, I'm removing as much waste as I can from the coop but it's not too bad as bedding was recently changed, and I hastily slapped together an alt run/tractor so they can have fresh ground.
Do I need to disinfect my coop? I haven't painted the walls inside but it's brand new and dry etc. inside.

I read in an older thread the bedding should be burned?

 

[Malkaris]

Sorry for so many posts in a row. In addition to my questions above, which I'm wondering about...

*sigh* I'm sure I saw a little blood in some stool in the coop this morning. Couldn't get a good pic as there was a lot of shavings. From where it had fallen I suspect a different hen, maybe lavender orp. They're on their first week of half dose of Amp and that should be their only water. Should I be doing anything else?

If I ever get through this do they need antibiotics for damage or vitamin suppliments after treatment?

 

[Malkaris]

Vitamins and electrolytes after treatment definitely won't hurt. You can try giving your suspect bird a little boosted dose of amprolium via syringe.

Ahh interesting! I knew that was the treatment for ones that aren't eating or drinking but maybe I'll try that.

I was wondering from the consistency of some stools whether one bird wasn't drinking enough.

I'm so tired...

 

[RainbowHen]

Ahh interesting! I knew that was the treatment for ones that aren't eating or drinking but maybe I'll try that.

I was wondering from the consistency of some stools whether one bird wasn't drinking enough.

I'm so tired...

Aww I bet. Hang in there Do you know how to syringe water to birds?

 

[Malkaris]

Aww I bet. Hang in there Do you know how to syringe water to birds?

Not exactly, beyond needing to be careful the bird doesn't aspirate the liquid.