Question Regarding Blood in Poo **UPDATE** It Appears to Be Cocci!!!

[loralei]

Thanks again PunkinPeep! They will be on corrid asap... 40 minutes after the feed store opens!

Anyone know how long it takes for em' to develope symptoms like the blood in the poo? They have not ranged since Saturday and I noticed the blood this afternoon (just trying to convince myself that it can't be cocci).

I have a new batch of chicks coming tomorrow. Suggestions on how to prevent babies from getting this would be greatly appreciated! They will not range until at least 6 mo!!!

 

[PunkinPeep]

The infestation can become rampant quickly if they have no exposure. So it's hard to say, but the blood in the poop is a late infestation symptom.

Please keep in mind that your chickens can't build resistance to the cocci without exposure to the cocci. Some people actually put a little dirt in the brooder with the little chicks to help them start developing resistance early. And i personally think that is really really smart. It is not wise to try to keep your chickens away from the ground until 6 months (at least not in regard to cocci resistance). The same thing will happen that has happened with these chickens. They will be older, and will have no resistance to the cocci, and they will get sick.

My personal system is that i watch new-to-the-ground chickens like a crazed hawk for the slightest symptom, and medicate as soon as i see it. But i will put dirt in the brooder in the future, now that i've heard that method.

Someone mentioned on a different thread that sometimes the foreign strain can come in on someone's shoes who visits your property. That's true also, though i would be surprised if that many chickens were that quickly infested by that small a sample of soil. I could be wrong. And i'm referring only to cocci here - not other things that can be tracked in.

Oh, and i would personally rather deal with cocci than the alternatives that i can think of. Once they build a resistance, they will likely not get sick from the infestation again.

 

[loralei]

Is there a vaccine for cocci?

Couldn't have been brought in on a visitor's shoes. We live in the middle of nowhere. No one ever visits!

Introducing dirt to the brooder to develop immunity sounds like a good approach... proactive. I will likely try once I learn more about it.

 

[PunkinPeep]

I just heard about some kind of new vaccine for cocci, but it didn't sound like it was very complete (only 2 strains), and i didn't hear much about the results.

 

[sammi]

it does sound like your birds have had some stress to deal with..
Pox..and the move...change of season, can all cause stress which will lower the immune system and make them more vulnerable to illnesses such as cocci.
plus you mention wet conditions..

do have that fecal done..Corid is a good cocci med and somewhat safer then Sulmet..(tho Sulmet has other uses.) Go with the Corid if you can get it...

also note that worms can also cause blood in the droppings..

or sometimes egg problems can cause some blood..larger then average eggs, and others pecking the vents..check for prolapse and any other injury to the vent area...
Best to check all the vents to be on the safe side.

I would really try to determine which bird, (or birds) are having bloody droppings..
it's possible the roo was injured..I'd check him first. Roos will really hide any illness more so then even hens will.
also possible one or more picked up something from the construction..
one way to check is see where the birds sit on the roosts and check the droppings underneath..

 

[loralei]

This morning I was waiting at the feed store when they opened at 7am and was able to get the Corid. When I returned home and checked the hen house it looked like a crime scene! Blood everywhere! I mixed the Corid and made sure everyone got a drink.

It is the darnedest thing though. Other than the blood they seem fine. They are eating, drinking, laying, pecking about. They don't look sick at all. Their combs are all bright. They are allert, not a lathargic one in the bunch. They seem completely normal.

I certainly hope this is the worst of it and that I have caught it early enough (with the help of you kind folks!) to prevent the lose of any of my little girls.

Is this the type of thing that will get worse before it gets better?
If so, what should I have on hand to deal with it?
When can I expect to see the meds start working?

Thank you!
Laura

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Are you sure the blood is from their poops? Blood thrown everywhere (from throats) is a symptom of ILT.

 

[loralei]

Oh yes! Definately in the poo! Looks alot like the cocci poo from the infamous poo page.

I never thought I woud be having detailed discussions about poo of any type! lol

Thank you for your input though. I'm not familiar with ILT so I should probably learn somethng about that just in case!

 

[loralei]

There was less bloody poo this afternoon. Everyone seems fairly normal but the combs on 2 of my CM's have fallen over. The one girls seems like she may not feel well and when I picked her up water ran out her mouth... uh beak. It was pretty weird.

Is the comb falling over a sign that something is wrong?
What about the water running out the beak?

The sun came out this afternoon so I let them out in the run. Everyone went.

I am at a complete loss. I have no idea what is going on. I just hope I am treating for the right thing.

Please advise! Please!