One week old chick - bloody poo

[amyc]

I have a one week old wynadottte bantam who was the sole survivor of a dachshund attack tonight. I think she survived by playing possum - when she gets scared she just freezes, so I think because she wasn't running the dog didn't go after her. She seems to be OK - she's eating and drinking, but crying a lot for her buddies.

I took her out to sit with me for a while, and she just had a very bloody poo that looked like it had clots in it. She doesn't show any outward signs of being attacked, but now I'm worried that maybe she has internal injuries.

She also had a little bit of problem with pasty butt, but we got that cleared up a couple days ago.

I'm just freaking a little bit - I don't want to lose her after losing my nine other babies tonight.

 

[Judy]

So sorry! How is she doing?

I doubt there is much you can do for her. If she made it this long, perhaps she will survive, though. Lots of good ideas on here to help with getting her to eat and drink if she is reluctant.

Let us know if we can help any further.

Oh, and...

 

[AHappychick]

try some powdered milk in her feed if the bloody poop goes away you are probably dealing with cocci and the dog thing is just coincidence

 

[spook]

Yep Cocci, yogurt or dairy products will work, also against many others opinions, I use Sulmet with some yogurt. Don't let her get to rundown, its tough to get them back up, also if you have one with cocci, more then likely you need to treat the rest of your chicks with yogurt (its wonderful to give them all)
Good luck!

 

[amyc]

I will try some yogurt today, know that my mind has cleared a little I do remember seeing some slightly bloody tinged poop in the brooder before, hopefully its just Cocci.

She has been eating and drinking good - and she cries whenever I'm not around. I went to TSC and picked her up a couple of roommates, when I left for work she wasn't too keen on them, but we'll see if she changes her mind after a little while.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

Here's a real interesting link on chicken poo.

You said "just cocci" -- but I have read here that cocci can kill by by damaging the inside of the digestive tract. If you have them on medicated feed, she is getting treatment and hopefully will recover. Even on amprolium, sometimes you will see a little blood in the poo; they are building up their own immunity to cocci. Yogurt is good to help healing. If your feed is unmedicated you probably need to treat with amprolium. It is not an antibiotic, it inhibits the growth of cocci. Medicated feed is medicated with amprolium. Sulmet is an alternative treatment, but it I think is an antibiotic, and I have also read it does not treat all strains of cocci.

However, I am certainly no vet and no expert. Lots of info available on BYC about cocci.

 

[amyc]

I never imagined I'd be so enthralled with pics of chicken poop!

I took the little girl out this afternoon, and she dropped a nice normal piece of poo down the front of my shirt. I've never been so happy to be poo'd on before!

Also, I didn't mean to make it sound like cocci wasn't a big deal - I'm just glad that it may be something more treatable than internal injuries from a dog bite.