Please tell me about your experience(s) with cocci

[Noobchick]

I'm really on the fence as to which illness my birds have- worms or cocci. Im feeling stressed because I know cocci kills quickly. So I thought i'd learn from hearing you guys stories. (And I bet others will learn too.)

 

[Nicole01]

What's wrong? How are they acting?

 

[Noobchick]

I have so many weird things going on that may be contibuting. Forgive me, but I think it may be best to just list them all and let you guys figure out which are relevent and which arent. (Ive only been keeping chickens for 6 weeks so I really dont know much)

Were pretty inactive for the last few days. Theyve been having dark brown loose stools for about two weeks. I thought it was just a side effect of giving them Nutri-drench for a vitamin defeciency.

But two days ago I noticed that they felt like skin and bones. A few people have assured me they mustve been losing weight gradually and it just took till two days ago for me to really notice. 0_0

My birds are all about 6 weeks old. The heaviest one i now have is a pound even. The lightest is only 11 oz.

The air conditioning went out two days ago, was warm in the closed guest bathroom where they were but didnt get really hot till yesterday afternoon. (Two ended up panting). We moved them all downstairs where it was cooler. So they were hot with little air circulation for maybe around 12 hours, but only really hot temps for about 3-4.

Theyve been messing int their water a lot because theyre getting bigger and i havent had a chance to hang their waterers up out of their way. I clean them out 4-5 times daily with soap and hot water. Who knows, they may poop in them as soon as I put them down and leave.

Theyve been fluffling themselves up very frequently when Ive been in there. O way of knowing their behavior when im not around.

One spent most of the time yesterday with her moith open. Not a yawn like motion and not a pant. Just hung open. Another one did that occasionally yesterday. I havent seen that behavior today.

Yesterday I gave them plain yogurt and egg yolk and dosed their water with apple cider vinegar. They devoured both egg yolks and about 1/8 cup of yogurt.

Today i gave themmore yogurt and egg yolk. They ate well but didnt finish the egg yolk. Maybe only ate half. And barely any yogurt.

Also today, I didnt dose with the vinegar but i stead started a wormer treatment, Wazine.

Theyre having poops that are solid now, with the occasional loose one that i assume is ceacal.

Over the course of the last few days theyve been losing longish looking feathers, about 2-4 inches long. Theyve only lost about 4-5 of those over the course of the last few days though.

Wow. I know thats a lot of information. I hope it makes sense and isnt too overwhelming. Im at such a loss as to whats going on and what to do next. If it is cocci I know time is precious. So frustrating. I want to take good care of my birds and just feel so ignorant.

 

[Noobchick]

Oh. And I know that theyre eating well. Their crops are filling and emptying fine. They drink a little when Im around but again no way to know what they do when im not around.

 

[TwoCrows]

Are they chicks or grown up chickens? If they are new chicks, between the ages of 2 - 6 weeks, and you are seeing blood in the poop, acting very sleepy and tired, not eating, then chances are they have cocci. It is rare for new hatchlings to contract worms.

If they are full grown chickens, and they have been out in the yard for some time, the chances of cocci are not so common as they should have immunity to cocci. If they are full grown and have worms, you might find worms in the poo, tired, listless birds, gapping mouths, weight loss, dull feathers, etc...

Cocci exists in the intestinal tract of all birds, even new hatchlings. If they exposed to each others poo in small amounts, they eventually build up an immunity to it. If they come in contact with too much of it at one time, then they get overloaded and you will see blood in the poo. This is the time to act. Go to your local feed store and get Corid. If they are on medicated feed, then the chances of cocci are less likely, but not impossible. You can still use the Corid in a small dosage along with their medicated feed. Cocci also is found in the soil. So it is a good idea to get your birds immune systems up and running for cocci before they go outside.

I have had babies get cocci before. Sometimes some little ones just get it due to being weak. If you catch it in time, they will survive. But it can take them a few months to recover and sometimes it stunts their growth. They can grow up to be adults, but sometimes they are weaker than the others and are not always as productive or healthy.

Make sure the little ones are eating. Even if you have to hand feed them. Sometimes with cocci, you get what they call "starve outs". I have had this type of bird. They will refuse to eat. So feed them WHAT EVER they will eat. No matter what it is. Just keep them eating and drinking as much as you can get them to eat to get thru the cocci.

Good luck with your babies

 

[Nicole01]

You might want to pick up some polyvisol infant vitamins without iron and treat in the water. For cocci, Corrid is best for treatment. I doubt they have worms. It's so hard knowing what they are sick with. The vitamins saved my sick chick. I actually treated right down the beak. She had a respitory infection and her feathers were ruffled also. I also gave mine the apple cider vinegar along with probios (probiotics) in their water.

Good luck. I really hope they all pull through with whatever they have!

 

[Noobchick]

Thats whats weird- Ive been checking their poop for the last two weeks- no blood at all. Theyre laying around a lot but I attributed that to the fact that theyre getting too big for the brooder and Im sure its pretty boring now. They love when i let them run around loose in the bathroom. I do that for a couple hours every afternoon while my daughter naps and I can keep an eye on them.

Someone said its possible to have no blood in the stools and it still be cocci. Is this true??

 

[Noobchick]

Quote:
Twocrows: sorry i know i rambled on. Lol

 

[StormyMoon]

To me it sounds like they are normal but thats just me . I dont give anything to my chicks just feed and water and I let them be chickens no extra stuff except now and then a treat of fruit or boiled egg but not on a daily bases. Being that they are closed up in a brooder and their only roam time is the bath room having firm to loose stools is normal. When it is hot and they drink a lot of water they will also have squirts and watery poo.

Feathers will fall out especially when they are discovering their pecking order getting plucked out cause one is showing dominance, and some times as their feathers grow some will fall out. Around 6 - 8 weeks they go through a growth spurt where they look really strange and odd shaped and some will look very thin and even feel thin to touch.

I think thats what your seeing but I wouldn't worry if you see them eating and emptying their crop then just let them be chicks .

 

[Noobchick]

Thanks for your reply Stormy but I know theres something wrong with them. Theyve lost a lot of weight, breastbones are sticking way out, and were acting very tired, just laying around.

Edited to add: Im confused then. How is it a growth spurt if they feel and look thin? They get taller? Forgive me Im new to chickens.