Over researched and made myself anxious about coccidiosis

[Echelontheory101]

Hi folks! Im a first time chicken keeper but have wanted them for years and I spent months researching everything before finally getting them. Now the chicks are here, 11 in total now 9 days old haven't lost a single one since they got here and have managed any minor baby chick events like pasty butt and swollen vent etc by following the excellent advice in these forums. BUT I feel like anytime I Google ANYTHING these chicks do, drink alot, drink a little, watery poo, bask in the sun etx the internet is like COCCI COCCI COCCI. lol and I've completely gotten myself in an anxious tizzy now obsessed with their poop and every move they make and I'm constantly worried if they have it (they currently have zero symptoms of it other than watery poop of a normal color and not stinky) and when they'll all die from it (if you have general anxiety disorder you'll see where my head spiral is going.)

So TLDR is cocci as scary and prolific as the internet makes it out to be? I know everywhere has it, theyre on medicated feed, I gave them a little plug of sod from their future run, they are eating and drinking and playing and preening and happily chirping day in and day out. It just seems like every action a chicken does throughout the day is cocci according to the internet and trying to get a reality check. On if im taking it the right amount of serious or too much.

Thanks all!

Some cuteness attached just cause lol

 

[kattabelly]

You're exposing them to your local coccidia species in small amounts, while giving them medicated feed which should give them some protection while they build up their own immunity. It sounds like you've done enough reading to recognise the symptoms of coccidiosis (that hunched, fluffed up posture is the main thing, I think) and know how to treat it if necessary. You're doing everything you can. It's a relatively common problem with younger birds but there are also huge numbers of chicks raised every year without any issues.

Do keep an eye out for any signs that something isn't right, but try to relax enough to enjoy them while they're eating and drinking and seem healthy and happy.

 

[AnneGirlGG]

They are really cute!

Coccidiosis is very common, but please don't worry yourself so much about it. It's also treatable when caught quickly. My flock had it recently, and I didn't lose anyone. I think most commonly birds get it around 3 to 6 weeks, so I read. But all of mine were older, more like 8 to 10 weeks.

In my experience (I'm not speaking for anyone but myself and my flock), they started with loose droppings that were still brown but not as formed. Then I noticed orangey-red that looked like intestinal shedding, watery clear mucus, and yellowish, sticky or runny poop. But never any bright, obvious blood.

I treated before anyone appeared ill, just weird droppings. But after treatment, I had a few birds become visibly ill. Hunched, puffed up, lethargic. So back on Corid we went and those sickest ones got a drench. They were better within a few days.

You can always post pictures here of your chicks or their poop if you feel like you need reassurance. But you are doing great! You've got this!

 

[Echelontheory101]

You're exposing them to your local coccidia species in small amounts, while giving them medicated feed which should give them some protection while they build up their own immunity. It sounds like you've done enough reading to recognise the symptoms of coccidiosis (that hunched, fluffed up posture is the main thing, I think) and know how to treat it if necessary. You're doing everything you can. It's a relatively common problem with younger birds but there are also huge numbers of chicks raised every year without any issues.

Do keep an eye out for any signs that something isn't right, but try to relax enough to enjoy them while they're eating and drinking and seem healthy and happy.

Thank you so much! I have major health anxiety and the funny thing is getting these chickens the anxiety has stopped being about my health which is so great and refreshing and now its just glommed right on to them LOL. I'm trying to remind myself if I have a fully stocked chicken first aid kit with literally probably every supplement and medication mentioned in these threads over the last couple of months just in case and like you said I know what to look out for and just trying to remind myself that they're little GI tracts are only nine days old and I'm obsessively getting them to drink water off of a paintbrush (they like pecking at it) because I'm worried they arent drinking enough (which they are ) so it's probably watery because they're drinking more than they need to. Honestly I cant wait to get them out to the coop/run and away from down the hall from my bedroom because im watching them constantly haha and need to stop googling

I know you mentioned younger birds. Is there usually an age where theyre "in the clear" for the most part as far as built up immunity?

 

[Debbie292d]

We've had it twice here and I've kicked myself because a good practice I learned, I completely forgot about, then they got it. That is, give them medicated feed for two weeks prior to putting them outside. The two times I didn't out of a dozen or so, those two times they got coccidiosis.

How I knew, the first batch had blood so bad I thought someone hurt their foot or something. The second time, nothing wrong with their poop, but they were acting off, starting to hunch up. I didn't lose any either time. Both batches were around six weeks old.

You'll see something's wrong, then you can handle it, but I sure wouldn't be worrying about it one bit!

 

[Echelontheory101]

They are really cute!

Coccidiosis is very common, but please don't worry yourself so much about it. It's also treatable when caught quickly. My flock had it recently, and I didn't lose anyone. I think most commonly birds get it around 3 to 6 weeks, so I read. But all of mine were older, more like 8 to 10 weeks.

In my experience (I'm not speaking for anyone but myself and my flock), they started with loose droppings that were still brown but not as formed. Then I noticed orangey-red that looked like intestinal shedding, watery clear mucus, and yellowish, sticky or runny poop. But never any bright, obvious blood.

I treated before anyone appeared ill, just weird droppings. But after treatment, I had a few birds become visibly ill. Hunched, puffed up, lethargic. So back on Corid we went and those sickest ones got a drench. They were better within a few days.

You can always post pictures here of your chicks or their poop if you feel like you need reassurance. But you are doing great! You've got this!

Thank you so much! Gonna pelt you with some quesitons haha! Were yours on medicated feed or non? And was it right after they started going outside? Also how quickly did it progress? Like watery poo for a couple days then the yellow and so on?

 

[Echelontheory101]

We've had it twice here and I've kicked myself because a good practice I learned, I completely forgot about, then they got it. That is, give them medicated feed for two weeks prior to putting them outside. The two times I didn't out of a dozen or so, those two times they got coccidiosis.

How I knew, the first batch had blood so bad I thought someone hurt their foot or something. The second time, nothing wrong with their poop, but they were acting off, starting to hunch up. I didn't lose any either time. Both batches were around six weeks old.

You'll see something's wrong, then you can handle it, but I sure wouldn't be worrying about it one bit!

Thank you so much! They're on medicated feed now I was planning on bringing them out to the run (sand and the spent coffee ground bedding and first saturday lime) during the days once they hit 4 weeks so they can acclimate to the new England weather and then be out there permanently at 6 to 8ish weeks and was planning on just keeping them on the medicated feed till I ran out. Do you recommend I stop the medicated feed at a certain age and then restart 2 weeks before they go out?

 

[AnneGirlGG]

Thank you so much! Gonna pelt you with some quesitons haha! Were yours on medicated feed or non? And was it right after they started going outside? Also how quickly did it progress? Like watery poo for a couple days then the yellow and so on?

Lol no worries. I'm happy to help because I was the one pelting with questions a few weeks ago!

They eye on medicated feed, and they had been going outside every day, but to a different part of the yard from where the coop and run are. They got it within 2 weeks of being in the coop, and I am almost certain it is because we had some torrential rain and then a spike in temperature. Cocci thrive in heat and humidity and wet ground. They got sick right after the rain. In our case, it didn't seem to move all that fast. When I started treating, I had seen the off droppings for 2 days, mostly in the morning. I did the 5 day Corid dose, and no one had ever shown signs so I thought we were good. Then 3 days after treatment ended, I went in the coop on the morning to find a cockerel very puffed up, obviously I'll. And I found more of the intestinal shedding looking poop. So back on Corid they all went, this time for 7 days. And I gave the drench to him and 3 others that began to look ill.

 

[kattabelly]

I know you mentioned younger birds. Is there usually an age where theyre "in the clear" for the most part as far as built up immunity?

I wouldn't like to say for sure, maybe one of the educators or someone else will be able to give a better answer.

I think it partly depends on things like what age they're first put outside or exposed to it, when they're started on or taken off medicated feed, if they're already sick or just not very healthy,

We've had it twice here and I've kicked myself because a good practice I learned, I completely forgot about, then they got it.

I had to treat two chicks this year - I treated the whole group but only two were showing mild symptoms - for the first time ever, and that was largely my own fault for letting them have outdoor time in a high-traffic (from other chickens) area when they were still very young and hadn't had much time to build up much resistance. I think the time of year and recent weather might've played a part too as I've heard of a couple of other people locally having similar issues when they usually don't.

Am I right in thinking they need to be exposed to coccidia through contact with soil before coccidiosis is a risk, and they aren't in any danger while they're just in a brooder with some kind of soil-free bedding? That was my understanding but someone I'd expect to know about this recently tried telling me different.

 

[Echelontheory101]

Lol no worries. I'm happy to help because I was the one pelting with questions a few weeks ago!

They eye on medicated feed, and they had been going outside every day, but to a different part of the yard from where the coop and run are. They got it within 2 weeks of being in the coop, and I am almost certain it is because we had some torrential rain and then a spike in temperature. Cocci thrive in heat and humidity and wet ground. They got sick right after the rain. In our case, it didn't seem to move all that fast. When I started treating, I had seen the off droppings for 2 days, mostly in the morning. I did the 5 day Corid dose, and no one had ever shown signs so I thought we were good. Then 3 days after treatment ended, I went in the coop on the morning to find a cockerel very puffed up, obviously I'll. And I found more of the intestinal shedding looking poop. So back on Corid they all went, this time for 7 days. And I gave the drench to him and 3 others that began to look ill.

Thank you! Mine are still mostly down because theyre so young so I cant really tell puffed up but should look up pictures of that posture, I don't think anyone is doing that currently they mostly just love to stretch out their wings and legs.

I just worry about the corid this early and putting their systems through too much between the medicated feed, the sav a chick probiotics and Electrolytes (which I know I'd have to stop if I start corid) so soon after they went through the stress of shipping and know they cant have any of the vitamins etc until its done so just worried ill make their health worse by over reacting. Since right now its JUST watery poops Ill try to get them to atleast 2 weeks old before treating unless any other signs pop up