Runny, bloody poop from a month old chick

[Castlewood]

Hello all!
I have a couple of month old chicks that have been sequestered in the old dog crate with a straw bed, water, chick feed and a heat lamp. Upon their month anniversary, I gave them a half-day in the run and I think one of them got a hold of something she shouldn't have. Today I found some runny, red poops in their crate with one chick acting very lethargically who is the likely victim. I gave her fresh water with some sav-a-chik mixed in with the thought of heading off any dehydration.

She's spending her day sleeping, but I wanted to check in with the community and ask a couple things:

1. Is there anything else as a good measure that I can do today to help her through this?
2. For future reference, how young is too young to introduce chicks to the bigger world outside of their crate/brooder?

Thanks! -C

 

[Eggcessive]

I would probably go ahead, and buy some Corid at your feed store, and start some treatment for possible coccidiosis. It is not harmful, but blood in poop is usually coccidiosis at that age. Dosage is 2 tsp (10 ml) per gallon of water for 5-7 days.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

It could be:
Coccidiosis: How often do you clean out the brooder?(probably not cocci)
Intestinal tears: Is there building debris of any sort?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

I would probably go ahead, and buy some Corid at your feed store, and start some treatment for possible coccidiosis. It is not harmful, but blood in poop is usually coccidiosis at that age. Dosage is 2 tsp (10 ml) per gallon of water for 5-7 days.
View attachment 2112411

If it happened suddenly, and the chick is 3 weeks, it's probably not coccidiosis.
Some sort of intestinal injury.

 

[Castlewood]

If it happened suddenly, and the chick is 3 weeks, it's probably not coccidiosis.
Some sort of intestinal injury.

That is a fair description. It's the sudden appearance with no other health conditions previously. Healthy, happy chicks until one day in the coop. At this point, it's just one that is exhibiting the symptoms. The run is clear of rocks, but it's a natural dirt floor that sees plenty of leaves from live oak trees. I'm sure some bark or twigs fall in there as well.

Does medicated chick feed prevent Coccidiosis? I feel like when I picked these ladies up, that is what was in their feeder.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

That is a fair description. It's the sudden appearance with no other health conditions previously. Healthy, happy chicks until one day in the coop. At this point, it's just one that is exhibiting the symptoms. The run is clear of rocks, but it's a natural dirt floor that sees plenty of leaves from live oak trees. I'm sure some bark or twigs fall in there as well.

Does medicated chick feed prevent Coccidiosis? I feel like when I picked these ladies up, that is what was in their feeder.

Sometimes, even the smallest thing can harm them. One of my chicks ate a piece of a broken balloon. He was ok after a bit, but it was very nerve-wracking.
Even it there was a single staple that the chick ate, there might be nothing you can do.

 

[Eggcessive]

Medicated feed can help them build up a tolerance to coccidia in the soil, but it doesn’t treat an outbreak. Since you are seeing lethargy as well, it would be prudent to go ahead and start Corid, just in case. Lethargy, blood in stools or just runny stools, being hunched or puffed up, and not eating are the classic signs. It tends to be worse between 3-6 weeks, but can occur later too. You can have your local vet diagnose it by looking at some collected droppjngs, or you can go ahead and treat with a harmless medication for all chickens.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Medicated feed can help them build up a tolerance to coccidia in the soil, but it doesn’t treat an outbreak. Since you are seeing lethargy as well, it would be prudent to go ahead and start Corid, just in case. Lethargy, blood in stools or just runny stools, being hunched or puffed up, and not eating are the classic signs. It tends to be worse between 3-6 weeks, but can occur later too. You can have your local vet diagnose it by looking at some collected droppjngs, or you can go ahead and treat with a harmless medication for all chickens.

I think that the OP was stating that they are pretty certain it was something the chick swallowed, because the chick in question is the only one with problems and it was very sudden. But I agree, Corid would be good just in case.

 

[Castlewood]

UPDATE: a couple days of electrolytes and back in a controlled space seems to have cleared up the issue. She's back on her feet and quite back to normal. Thanks everyone for the feedback. I think I've learned that 4 weeks is a little too young to visit the big world.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

UPDATE: a couple days of electrolytes and back in a controlled space seems to have cleared up the issue. She's back on her feet and quite back to normal. Thanks everyone for the feedback. I think I've learned that 4 weeks is a little too young to visit the big world.

My chicks went outside to visit the big wide world at 2 weeks. But only in their coop.