Peeps' Droppings Have Some Red In Them

[chicksgalore]

If your adult hens seem fine and none of the chicks have been in with them, I wouldn't bother treating them. For any information on treatment, dosage and directions, cautions etc, will be on the back of the bottles. Good luck and please keep us (or me) posted!

Unfortunately, all 40 of my chickens are together, chicks and mature hens alike, so....now what?

I looked around my chicken area (although it's very large and impossible to look everywhere) and I didn't see anymore red in any poop. Not even the 2 little chicks. It seems like it comes and goes.

I looked at Sulmet at the feed store today and I found a packet for swine and a bottle for cattle. Both were very expensive although the packet for swine was smaller and thus cheaper so I would prefer to go that route. Is this the stuff?

Is this contagious to other animals--dogs, cats, kids/people??

This is really discouraging...

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Chicksgalore, are your 40 hens 'n' chicks kept together because they're all Moms & their babes? Otherwise, why are you keeping chickens of mixed ages together? I have my adult laying hens on layer ration so they'll have the nutrients they need to produce eggs in quality & quantity. I keep my chicks separate so they can stay on chick feed until 18-20 weeks. Chicks shouldn't eat layer feed because it has too much calcium for their immature systems. Adult chickens can eat chick feed, but it might adversely affect egg production. It's usually more expensive anyway, and I can't wait to promote my young birds to the cheaper adult stuff.

When I have broody hens I feed them layer feed while they're incubating, then let them all eat chick starter until the Mom is ready to return to her flock. She usually isn't laying during the weeks she's tending her chicks, so it's not so crucial to have her on layer feed then.

The Sulmet I use is in liquid form, sold in a 16-oz bottle for about $10, and lasts a long time. It's very easy to administer, 2 T in 1 gal water for 2 days, then 1 T in 1 gal water for 4 more days. The directions say to NOT give it to laying hens. I get it at our feed store. Ask again at your feed store, check at some others too.

I think you should separate your chicks & adults, at least while you're dosing them. Check their droppings in the area where they roost/sleep, you can get the best idea if there's any bloody poops. If any, it will probably be under the chicks. I think that adults will have picked up immunity by then.

The chicks I have that are raised with a Mama hen pick up immunity from being around her poops. Perhaps these chicks have also done so from being around the other adult birds.

It's a common thing for chicks to get, and while it should be treated, isn't that crucial to remedy absolutely immediately. I'm not sure if it's contagious to other species, my kids & I haven't caught it yet...

Perhaps you should devise a way to separate your flock, and check each group's poops. It could just have been the tomato, after all...

Keep us posted!

 

[chicksgalore]

This is really a learning process! I have had chickens for years but since I found this forum I have been learning a ton! Anyway, I've usually just had a small flock and this year have really upped the number. The dozen chicks that are in with the big ones are about a month and a half old and they have a box that they are able to get in to eat their starter feed that the big ones cannot get in. The place I was keeping them was just too small to keep them all penned in it anymore. I have been reading different posts on here though about the chicks shouldn't have the layer feed and thankfully, my husband just picked up a new coop on Saturday, so I am going to put the chicks in there to separate them until they're older. Then I will go from there...

Thanks for everyone's input. I really appreciate everyone's willingness to help my girls! I will indeed call around and try to find the $10 Sulmet. The $69 bottle I saw yesterday was not even 16 oz.!

 

[cluckychick]

Quote:
See my post above, you might want to wait to see if there's any more bloody poops. Keep them off the tomatoes for a few more days to elimate that factor. I think the chicks would pick up better immunity from their Mom than from the Sulmet. It's your call, though.

I didn't see your post until after I spoke with my vet and she said to just leave things the way they are just as you said

. They are active, eating, drinking and they are already eating medicated chick starter. As long as things stay that way I will just let them be and strickly prohibited my son from giving any more treats tot he babies, lol. Thank You for the info.