My chicks are dying and can’t figure out what to do!

[natyvidal]

Hi everyone. Thank you for your input.
This is the problem.

I have 34 layers including two roosters, one pair of African geese, and I had a pair if turkeys, but now only one. And guinea hen to help keep the flock secured. And I also grow my own meat Chi chicken CC, which I get from same certified breeder for almost a year. Never had any problem.

I’ve been working on my flock for the last three years. Before then I’ve had chickens on and of but not in this big scale. So I’ve been learning a lot throughout the last three years.

I only buy from government certified breeders and I put anything I bring in 40 days quarantine to make sure they are safe to introduce to my flock. You could say I have a close flock and I don’t let anyone come in from other farms without assurances and shoe protection.

Everything I do in my farm is for our family food consumption and I sell very little to the public except some eggs to local customers.

Ok my problem. Since my layers are almost three year old and I know their production will start to disminish, I bought several chicks to re stock my flock. (And replace three layers lost to predators in the last three years.) I bought 4 leghorns, four RIR, 4 green eggers and six cookoo marans for dark brown egg.
As I said I put them all in quarantine away from the general coop and run for 40 days.
they were in perfect health, eating well, gaining weight. So I moved them to the general flock area and I’ve lost 3 of the RIR, three of the green Eggers. One of the RIR died while in quarantine but they where quite small when I bought them and might have been trampled by the other ones. There is always some losses when you bring new chicks, but never like this before. Oh, yes; one of the RIR, that died last night was pooping very bloody feces. I started the two RIR on coccidiosis meds just in case but to late for one of them.

One more detail I should inform to help with your answers. I did loose two other hens to coccidiosis around April, and two other recuperated after I treated them. I know I should probably treat the whole flock, but, this summer it’s proving to be super hot, and dry. The flock is staying in the shade when free ranging and I don’t want to stress them more with medication. Since I would have to keep them locked up in their coop and run for the 14 days treatment.

So my question is. Could the soil in the run and coop area be so infected by coccidiosis that I should probably disinfect the whole area? Maybe I should be feeding the new stock medicated chick starter? Except for the CC for meat! Should I have the soil checked? Is there a government agency I can ask to come and check things out to make sure I am doing things right? What else can I do to find out why are they dying? They do not have parasites. I check their feces every day for parasites. Nada. I am at a loss to which way proceed. .

I am also planning to medicate the whole flock in the fall for coccidiosis and parasites. That's when the egg production slows down, temperature is cooler and most are molting. I let my customers know they will have to get their eggs from supermarket. I know coccidiosis is a huge problem in Florida. Huge from what everyone tells me. I live in Dade City area.
Thank you ahead for your help.

 

[azygous]

You've already answered most of your own questions. Coccidia are everywhere in soil. Every. Where. They are protozoa, not worms. You can't see them. Chickens develop resistance to them when allowed gradual exposure. But under some circumstances they can overwhelm chickens and then they sicken and often die.

The treatment is far from stressful. Amprolium, the ingredient in Corid is not an antibiotic. It merely blocks the intake of thiamine, a B-vitamin that the coccidia feed on in the intestines. Mix it into all of the drinking water daily, changing it every day to new. Do this for five days, and let the flock drink unmedicated water for the next week, then do one more five-day round.

For the very sick, they likely require an antibiotic on top of the Corid. A sulfa med is best. You can also do a Corid "drench" for the sickest using around .5ml undiluted Corid per day for three days in addition to the Corid water and the antibiotic. Hopefully, you can save some of the sick ones that were headed for death.

The problem with trying to rid your soil of coccidia is that there are nine different strains and they are easily spread to new locales on shoes and car tires, and even borrowed garden tools.

There is another source that could cause death in chickens. Your tap water. You can have that tested by your health department. If you have well water, the quality can change according to rainfall, lack of rainfall, and local activities such as oil drilling and fracking. Even city tap water can be affected, and chicks can die from these contaminants.

 

[natyvidal]

Thank you for the information. We have well water, not city and although we've had sort of a drought for the last few weeks daily raining have started. We also live in a rural country area where all the neighbors are aware of anything happening and therefore I doubt it is the water. The lack of rain is a yearly cycle. I have one question. Is it normal for chicks to have blood in the stool when very advance cases? I know to look for hunter green feces for indications of Coccidiasis, and runny poops, but never blood.
Where can I buy Corid? And will the one I have here from last year, yearly treatment work? I am including pictures of what I have and it is about to expire this month. June 2021.
And you do not think it will not be stressful even in the middle of the summer?
Also, I still need to restock my flock with new blood, which I've almost lost all of it. Only have seven chicks left of the 12 chicks I started with. When I buy the new ones should I give them the medicated feed, while they are chicks for the first two to three months to allow them to get adapted to the cocci like you said?
Thank you.
Natalia
PD: I am working from my computer and for some reason I can't download the pictures. I'll try later from my cell phone.

 

[natyvidal]

Here are the pictures of the medicine. Thank you.

 

[azygous]

If it's a nice golden color, it's still good to use. If it's turned clear, you'll need to buy fresh. It's sold at most farm stores.

What's more stressful, coccidiostat treatment or death? Yeah, I thought so.

Blood in the stools comes with certain strains of coccidiosis. It's a sign that bacteria is eating away at the intestinal lining. There is a higher danger of death when you see the blood in the stool. A sulfa drug is highly advisable if you don't want to see more chickens die. You can order it here without a prescription. It also has a coccidiostat in it. https://www.jedds.com/shop/trimethoprinsulfa-100-g-medpet/

 

[natyvidal]

Thank you! Going to the store now. You've been a great help. The only ones affected are the new commers. Not the rest of the flock. Right now they all seem healthy and active. No signs of cocci on the.

Thank you for your help.

Natalia