New mama to 5 girls

[aandemom]

I am hoping you all can give me some insight to an issue I think one of my chicks has. I have 2 barred rocks, 2 amercuanas, and 1 RR, they are a week old. All seem to be doing great. They are active, eating and drinking well and sleeping. However, one of the amercuanas has a dark runny stool and this evening I had to clean her bottom because she was "pasting up". I am beginning to suspect she has coccidiosis. I've noticed the runny stool for a couple of days now, but other than that she seems just fine. She is not listless nor does she have any of the other symptoms other than a runny stool. Any help from you guys would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[Judy]

When they are that young they will exhibit a wide range of normal stools. If they have cocci, they will seem sick -- and since cocci are in the soil, if they have only been in the brooder, they shouldn't have been exposed. For pasty butt, dab its bottom with lubricant after cleaning to discourage the next poop sticking (Vaseline, Neosporin, etc.) Pasty butt is a form of constipation, from eating too many pine shavings or because they are a little too warm, for example. A few drops of molasses in the water should help.

It's easy for chicks to be without water for short periods, for example, because the water dish filled with pine shavings. When they again have water, they are liable to overdrink. You may simply need to raise your waterer on a brick to keep it cleaner.

Things won't be such a delicate balance for long. Hang in there!