My last week chicken disaster....Cocci and medicated feed question?

[mojomamma]

I woke up one day two weeks ago and 1 of my 3 month old chickens was dead with no warning. It was just laying in bloody poop. The other 3 seemed to be fine, called my vet, took a baggy with poo and the three alive chickens to the vet. As soon as I got the other 3 chickens to the vet they started with bloody poo. He treated them with several things he put down their beaks for cocci and kept them for 2 days. Thank God he healed them and my vet bill was only $25.00!!! They have been completely normal and feeling fine all week....My question is, I have 2 babies, which I keep seperate from the other girls, they are 2 months old now, should I be giving the babies medicated feed? Should I also be giving the older ones medicated feed? Thanks.

 

[CatDaddyAlbert]

The medicated part of Medicated feed is Amprolium to help control Cocci. It is not a cure all but it is worth the effort since the extra cost is very little over regular starter. Having dealt with Cocci once I use medicated in the hopes I will not have to deal with it again.

I choose to keep them on Medicated Feed until they are 12 weeks and then I switch to just plain starter until they are 18 weeks. then on to grower.

Hope this is of some help.

Best of luck and most of all ENJOY your birds..

 

[mojomamma]

Thank you so much!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't feed medicated feed, but I don't have the history with Cocci that you do. I suspect that strain of Cocci just showed up, probably from a songbird, to infect your older chicks if they had been on the ground for a while. They did not have an imunity and got real sick. Or if they had recently gone from the brooder to the ground, it was there waiting for them.

With your older ones, it would be a good question to the vet, but I'd think they now have an immunity to that strain of Cocci. I don't think it would be necessary, but I am not 100% sure.

The young ones present another problem. I'm guessing they have not yet been exposed to the Cocci-causing protozoa. As long as they are not exposed to it, the medicated feed will not really do any good, but it also will not do any harm. With your history, I'd be feeding it.

The medicated feed will not treat or totally stop Cocci. All it does is help them deal with it. They can still be overwhelmed with the Cocci. That Cocci protozoa is in your ground. What I expect is, that when your young ones hit the ground, they will be exposed to it. I think that is when you really need to be feeding them the medicated feed. I'd also be watching them very closely for symptoms. Bloody poop is only the most severe symptom. There are others.

Good luck!