Medicated vs Non-Medicated Feed

[speckledhen]

That is odd to me, though it would have to come from elsewhere because your birds are immune to whatever form of cocci that already exists in your soil. If wild birds are bringing something else in, it's possible for them to could get it, pf course, but I've never had to treat adult birds for cocci and we are surrounded by wild birds here in the mountains. Interesting! I'd say for the most part, adult birds who grow up on and stay on the same soil would not get coccidiosis as adults, but you are in a different location, too, and have different species of birds, too, different migratory routes, etc.

 

[TwoCrows]

You are right in that the constant traffic of wild birds brings it in. They sleep in the trees where the chickens dust bathe under, the wild birds leave their dang feather/deplumbing mites, drives my batty!! BUT ...it seems only the older birds of 6 years or more succumb to Cocci. I know which birds are weak for it and I watch them closely, their poop gets inspected daily.

 

[speckledhen]

You probably know I have hens who are mostly older, 6 up to over 10 years old. For whatever reason, I've just never had a case of cocci in any adults. Wrens nest on the back of the old coop and on our deck framing, etc, though I do not feed wild birds since I've had chickens to draw them in. Maybe I just don't have a huge concentration that sticks around here, who knows?

 

[TwoCrows]

You have some of the healthiest birds!! The birds themselves, their environment, diet, all kinds of things effect their ability to ward off things.

I do all I can to keep my birds as healthy as possible and over the years I haven't had many issues. But Cocci, deplumbing and leg scale mites have been annoying. I once saw a wild Chickadee with leg scale SO bad, I don't know how it was surviving! We have TONS of migrating birds moving through here in the spring and fall.

Like you are thinking, I was sure they would become immune to the Cocci, and most of them have, except the older birds.

I think they are developing immunity to the deplumbing mites however as each year they are effected less and less.

For the most part, my birds are pretty strong in the immune system. I rarely deal with any illness, at least of late. (Knock on wood! Ha!)

 

[speckledhen]

You have some of the healthiest birds!! The birds themselves, their environment, diet, all kinds of things effect their ability to ward off things.

I do all I can to keep my birds as healthy as possible and over the years I haven't had many issues. But Cocci, deplumbing and leg scale mites have been annoying. I once saw a wild Chickadee with leg scale SO bad, I don't know how it was surviving! We have TONS of migrating birds moving through here in the spring and fall.

Like you are thinking, I was sure they would become immune to the Cocci, and most of them have, except the older birds.

I think they are developing immunity to the deplumbing mites however as each year they are effected less and less.

For the most part, my birds are pretty strong in the immune system. I rarely deal with any illness, at least of late. (Knock on wood! Ha!)

I know you stay on top of things and are extremely knowledgeable. I try to keep mine healthy, but like all things, you can do your best and things happen anyway. My older hens are very healthy overall, but so many have arthritic joints now and two have lost the use of one leg from it, though one of those is my 10+ yr old BR hen, Amanda, and she laid 17 eggs from Nov 5 until this month! She is a wonder.

I hope some newbies will just start out with non-medicated feed, get some Corid and stay observant for symptoms. Gee, I mainly wish they'd just do a lot of research before they even get chickens! I sure did.

I'm going to go watch some TV with hubs in a bit so may not be back here until tomorrow-going to cruise through a couple threads first. Always a pleasure talking to you, Leyla.

 

[TwoCrows]

hugs to you Cynthia.

I have an old arthritic hen too. She has good days and bad. But she gets around and still has a lot of spunk! I am not sure its good for her but she gets 1 baby asprin a few times a week for pain. Really helps her.

And I am sorry if I ran this thread off topic!!

Please all you newbies, listen to Speckled Hen here and give the non-medicated feed a try and keep Corid on hand at all times for "just in case"!

Have a fab evening Cynthia!

 

[DwayneNLiz]

@TwoCrows question for you is corid ok to give to quail? i have mixed birds in my coop and its been dreadfully rainy and the chicks were looking haggered so i mixed up some corid but was unsure if the quail would be fine with it too

 

[SueT]

I appreciate this information!
So, if there are symptoms in one chick, you put amprollium in the water for all of them? What symptoms would you look for? Would any slight looseness of poop be concerning?

My 6 big chicks are now 6 weeks old and have been outdoors only one week, no obvious symptoms, all seem healthy and active. They were brooder raised indoors, I didn't know about giving soil, however, all the shavings in their brooder-cage were raked up off the ground where we saw up logs, so surely there was a little soil in each batch.
When I moved them out to their run, ( used by other chickens for 2 years,) it was so wet here that I was paranoid about cocci, and began giving medicated feed. At first they didn't like it, so they have been getting non-medicated in one feeder, and medicated in another and they now eat equal amts of each. Useless? Harmful? Any advice is welcome!
(In case any of this is relevant-- I am also putting ACV in their water, which stays clean because it's a nipple bucket. Also they had fermented feed since day 1. I later introduced dry crumbles in addition which they now think is a great treat. )
And I am so happy BYC is back, and that this subject is one of the first discussed! THANK YOU!
Sue

 

[speckledhen]

I appreciate this information!
So, if there are symptoms in one chick, you put amprollium in the water for all of them? What symptoms would you look for? Would any slight looseness of poop be concerning?

My 6 big chicks are now 6 weeks old and have been outdoors only one week, no obvious symptoms, all seem healthy and active. They were brooder raised indoors, I didn't know about giving soil, however, all the shavings in their brooder-cage were raked up off the ground where we saw up logs, so surely there was a little soil in each batch.
When I moved them out to their run, ( used by other chickens for 2 years,) it was so wet here that I was paranoid about cocci, and began giving medicated feed. At first they didn't like it, so they have been getting non-medicated in one feeder, and medicated in another and they now eat equal amts of each. Useless? Harmful? Any advice is welcome!
(In case any of this is relevant-- I am also putting ACV in their water, which stays clean because it's a nipple bucket. Also they had fermented feed since day 1. I later introduced dry crumbles in addition which they now think is a great treat. )
And I am so happy BYC is back, and that this subject is one of the first discussed! THANK YOU!
Sue

Sue, the medicated feed used like that really will do no good anyway. It's not at what they call a "treatment level" in the first place, and halving it with the non-med feed is not helping in any way. I'd use the non medicated no matter what. Just get Corid and keep it on hand. The only sign I look for is bloody poop or lethargy and other odd poop combined. If I see bloody poop, they all get Corid. Amprolium laced feed won't prevent cocci and if they have it, it will not treat it. You need a more concentrated form of it in Corid.

As far as fermented feed, I never advise that. I actually am anti-fermented feed (no, you folks with the religious fervor about it, don't start in on me, please!). I've had the experience of a friend's birds harmed by it and some died, per necropy which verified it was the feed. But, that's off topic.

 

[SueT]

Thanks! This is going to make life a lot simpler.