Please Help! Diareah

[MarlaKaye]

MY month old silkies and 3 week old Seramas have the most awesome diareah I have seen. 2 silkies and four seramas.

The exciment (pooh) has now lost its color and is almost like water with a dot in the middle. It varies some from bird to bird. Some one is haveing normal droppings, but I don't know which one it is. I am trying to observe.

They are in a large brooding circle with newspaper for bedding. I pamper them and clean the Plexiglass brooder several times a day and pick up droppings as the happen a good part of the time. They are in my bedroom so I can't afford to get an odor going in here.

Yesterday and again last nite, I gave them bread crumbs. They ate them eagerly. They have never had anything besides thier regular baby chick food and water. Also my husband got a new grinder so he brought them some ground Scratch like he throws out to the older chickens outdoors. He put some on top of their feed.

They haven't had grit accept for one time, and I think they were too young to take it in anyway. It looked way to big to my eyes.

They have just finished eating some of thier "normal" food, and are preening, getting ready for a nap. I hope they don't dehydrate.

I have tried to post pictures and it doesnt work for me. Sorry, don't know what I am doing wrong. I have had no trouble at my own website.

This reminds me of the time I lost a beloved mother cocotial. I couldn't bare to loose this particular bunch of birds. I have to stay in bed most of the day, and they have been my comfort. They are Pets.

DH brought some fine grit in and gave it to them a few moments ago. They took to it for a couple of minutes. I am hoping that helps.
They are drinking and eating.

The corn that was in the scratch looked too big to me for he seramas. DH often differs in oppinion from me on what is best.
Someone please give me some answers. What have your experiences been.
Regards,
MarlaKaye

 

[griffin45]

I hope that I can be of some help. You didn't say what type of chick food you are feeding, but I would not give the chicks anything else but Starter grower. Premixed from the store it should have everything that they need in it. I would also look for some medicated chick starter from Manna Pro. sometimes it is hard to find and I can only get it at a small family feed store.

More help will come...

Chris

 

[MarlaKaye]

Thanks for replying. I'm hoping it is the sudden change in diet. I am watching them closely. They are still having watery poohs, but I think maybe it is slowing down and changing for the better.
I'm Praying for my chicks.
MarlaKaye
Any more ideas greatly appreciated.
I am feeding them premixed starter food from store. DH and I just got silly without thinking, because he was happy about the new grinder, and wanted to treat the little ones, and noticed how they went after the bread crumbs from my sandwich.

Oh MY, Oh Me, I forgot to report on their crops. Just min, I will check them.
It seems the silkies have stopped eating, only one of the seramas has anything I can feel in the crop

 

[LynneP]

These birds need grit- without it they can't grind their food and will waste away.

Your starter crumbles may or may not contain it (check) and it is the only thing they should be receiving, with clean water.

By giving them treats you may unintentionally be thinking you are being nice to them, but babies need their 'formula' and nothing else.

 

[MarlaKaye]

Quote:
do they need grit added to thier starter food? (crumbles) Hubby is grinding it for the serams because they are so small, and leaving some good sized chunks for the Silkies. They are in the same brooder. Im concerned about the Silkies they seem skinny and I don't feel anything for a crop or in thier crops. They look fine at a glance because they have so many feathers but they are boney to pick them up. I don't seee them eating as much as the seramas, and they are older, five times as large, I would think they need the nutrition.
They look like giants next to them. You know how tiny and typie seramas can be. They get along fine, the silkies are very gentle and defer to them when they eat or drink, even nesting areas. They allow the seramas to cozy up close to them to sleep if they are already "bedded down".
So someone please tell me, Do I need to get small grit to give them in addition to thier food.
Ugh, I don't know the name of the food. I will check with DH, shortly.
MarlaKaye

 

[MarlaKaye]

Well it's 11:30 AM and the diareah seems to be clearing up., Im keeping an eagle eye out. One is still watery, can't tell which one. At the moment all are eating vigorously around the feeder.
Thank You Lord!
MarlaKaye

 

[LynneP]

That's good news!

(yes, you could and should add small grit to the starter food.)

I've never raised Silkies, but was wondering if they should be separated to give them adequate access to feed/water...

 

[MarlaKaye]

Thank you all for you help getting through this. Everyone is doing well now. Thank God.
Hey Lynne P, how do you manage to raise chickens in Nova Scotia. Seems that would be more difficult than Kansas. We have had seventy degree days, and then Odegree.
We have a heater in our outdoor coupe, and keep it from freezing. It's so cold today, I won't let the chickens out. this afternoon if it warms up, maybe. I don't want frostbite on my flock.
Regards,
MarlaKaye

 

[silkiechicken]

If they are only getting starter, they don't need grit, but if their starter contains whole grains that you can see chunks of, then grit is good.

Change in chick diet is the easiest way to make some nasty poos!

Also, if they drank lots of water being too warm or just being chickens, wattery poo can happen.

If they are eating, drinking, and look good, don't worry about a few loose piles here and there.

 

[maymiegirl]

I would say "worry." The symptoms of the intestinal tract being shed or stripped is that dot in the middle of the poo. This is a stage in the deterioration of the intestinal tract and the color is an orangish red dot. It is preceded by the stage of runny poo with white and water. After the intestinal shedding stage which contains the dot it turns into a runny yellowish then runny greenish then runny blackish stage then back to runny browh where it stays for a long time. The main thing to notice here, is that the poo is terribly stinky--way more stinky than normal. I am also guessing some of your more ill birds are standing all puffed up and hunched like they are cold and some have stopped drinking.

Are any of their eyes sticking shut yet?

It is a virus. I don't know what virus but it is at an intestinal stage right now. It most-likely will work it's way through the birds system up through the trachea where it will mutate and manifest a sort of ulceration through the trachea which will then kill the bird.

To prevent losing your flock you will need to put them all on a probioic daily. There is a powder you can get that is affordable at Tractor Supply. Also a good vitamin supplement is crucial. Red Cell for horses is the most affordable and you will need a tablespoon per 5 gallons of water and no more. Also use Diatomaceous Earth in their feed at 2% every day.

I recommend your contacting Peter at Tri State Vet supply and sacrificing one bird for testing. I believe this is a growing serious problem that needs attention before your birds start dying.