My three week old chicks are dying! What could it be????

[Fyrekitten]

Nope, they are in a large tote in the basement which is a concrete floor. It is cool down there with with the brooder lamp they seem to be warm but not overheated. Maybe they've just picked something up and I need to get the medicated food. Anymore thoughts on what I did with their water?

Thanks muchly again,

Fyrekitten
Bridget Aikeye

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

pips&peeps :

Sounds like cocci to me. Drop the vitamins and get them some amprolium.

Usually when they puff up they are sick. If they are not sneezing and do not have watery eyes or any respiratory symptoms, I think of cocci first. Are you feeding them medicated feed?

I agree with this. This is exactly what I was going to say.​

 

[Katy]

Quote:
The "medication" in 99.9% of all chicks feeds is a preventative for coccidiosis...amprolium. Helps them build some immunity to cocci so when they are on dirt they won't get sick. It won't help for any other illness that they're dealing with.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
If you do think it is cocci the medicated feed won't treat it enough once they are ill. It is just to HELP prevent it (and it sometimes doesn't even do that).

Could it be possible that cocci was brought into their brooder somehow? I know it usually just occurs when they are on soil. But.....???

Here is the classic picture of coccidosis that I experienced with my chickens in the past:
A young chicken, usually less than 9 weeks old
Feathers fluffed up
Sits off by itself, eyes closed
Won't eat or drink
Sometimes bloody poo is present- (not at first sometimes)

Corid eliminates the problem in 24 hours (I mean the bloody stools if they have them go away in 24 hours and the flock starts feeling better). The treatment should last for 5 days. If still there after Corid, I'd say it might not be cocci.

 

[pips&peeps]

I have had chicks in a new plastic tote get cocci............ they were even on medicated feed. I had to put amprolium in their water to get them better.

I wonder if the feed got pooped on by wild birds before being packaged.

I have also had birds with cocci that had no blood in the stool and it wasn't until some birds went down before I realized what it was. Sometimes in a big dry area it is hard to notice diarrhea.

I would just go buy some amprolium and put it in their water for a week without changing the feed and see what happens. It can't hurt them.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

pips&peeps :

I have had chicks in a new plastic tote get cocci............ they were even on medicated feed.

This is extremely valuable information. I am sure I will be quoting you forever and ever to other posters!!!

Please note that I edited post #14 everyone.​

 

[Fyrekitten]

Thank you and Thank you all a hundred times more! I went immediately to my local Tractor Supply (Still a jaunt of 20 minutes) and picked up some medicated feed and something they had called "Save-A-Chick" It's like an electrolyte mix that comes in little packets. They told me that they usually give it to their chicks when they come in for sale for the first day or two and that it really helps them get over the stress.

So we got home, changed water and feed and NO ONE else is sick or has died. I SO REALLY APPRECIATE THE INFO. I thought that the Coccidosis may have been passed on from another bird as well and I have to agree that you all are probably quite right.

I'm sorry I didn't reply earlier to the string but we had a horrible storm here in Upstate NY where I'm at and we had alot of rain (melting the other feet of snow-yay!) and then it turned to SNOW and we ended up with another fifteen inches - the power went out here which has never happened in the two years we've lived here and didn't come back on from Sunday evening to Monday evening.

NOW, I have five incubators going at varioius stages on incubation and near hatching so what will this do to my eggs???? Arghhhhh I just can't seem to get them going this year! We put all five incubators around our Big woodstove and were able to keep them around 86 to 90 degrees during the 22 plus hours - will this affect the hatchability????? I have Silver Phoenix and Salmon Favorelles that are due to hatch starting today/tomorrow along with some Pharoah Quail. I also am hatching some Ducks and Geese along with Sumatra's, Nankins, Cubalayas and a whole bunch of others - should I just wait and see what happens - any ideas?

Thanks again for saving my chickies! I'll post pictures in the normal area in the next few days to see their cuteness!

Fyrekitten