Sick chick, bloody poo - caution, yucky poo pic! Please help?

[buttercup hill]

The day before yesterday I noticed a little bit of bloody poo in the coop. I immediately cleaned the coop and kept a lookout to see if I could identify which of my 21 seven-week-old chicks had the problem. All seemed healthy, energetic, eating and drinking good.
I free range them.
Yesterday was the same. Bit of bloody poo in the coop, etc. It wasn't until this morning that one showed no interest in a toss of meal worms they all go crazy after. A Buff Orpington didn't join in the feast and presented as lethargic, shaking its head, sleepy-like. I picked it up (straight-run, don't know gender yet) and checked it over really good.
No injuries; no mites, lice or bugs; crop empty; vent clean; pretty limp and sleepy; pale comb; no sign of respiratory difficulty; clean face.
I set up a pen in my hobby room for it and coaxed it to eat a little of the Medicated Chick Starter that is their staple food source and a couple sips of water that I added some Save-a-Chick to. It's resting quietly with no signs of breathing difficulty.
I'm worried for this chick along with my others and hoping this isn't something serious. Hope some forumite wisdom can help guide me through this, please? This is my first batch of chicks. They were all vac'ed for Marek's.
The poo I found in the coop was much bloodier and runnier than what is shown in the pic that it just did. I compared it to the poo chart from a link I found on this site and it most closely resembled the Coccidossis (sp?) one, not the intestinal shedding one. But their feed is medicated? Do chicks at 7wks shed intestinal? Do they get sick when they do? Could it have ate something sharp while free ranging? Please help?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Coccidiosis most likely!!! It can kill within 24 hours and so this is an emergency.

Treatment is Sulmet (in the poultry section of the feed store) or Corid (I recommend Corid) which is in the cattle section of the feed store. Corid treats more strains of coccidiosis.

Signs of coccidiosis:

lethargic, stands in corner by himself
won't eat or drink
acts cold with feathers fluffed up
may or may not have bloody poo
may or may not have been placed on ground yet


I treat with Corid 9.6% liquid, 9.5 ml in one gallon of water for 5 days, changing solution daily. Administer via syringe to side of beak the diluted solution to the one who won't drink, making sure that you don't pour the liquid in the mouth. Allow her to drink the drops as they enter the side of the beak.

Don't administer vitamins at the same time as treatment with Corid. You might have to do another round of Corid if the bloody poo comes back after treatment. Treat all the chickens for this who have been exposed to the poo of the one with blood/lethargy.

This is most common in chicks under 8 weeks of age, although adults can get it if immunocompromised. Medicated feed has such a tiny dose of medication against cocci that it doesn't totally prevent it always.

I am not a vet, but am just telling you what has worked for me. I recommend searching BYC for Corid dosage and coccidosis treatments so that you can decide for yourself.

 

[spatulagirl]

x2

 

[buttercup hill]

Thank You SO MUCH! I didn't know about the medicated feed having such a low dose. Thought I was doing right and protecting them by giving them the medicated.
Off to TSC right now to see if they have Corid and if not, hopefully my local farm supply store is open today.

 

[flewdacoop]

x3

 

[buttercup hill]

Could only find Corid 20% soluble powder so did a search for the dosage. A thread on this site had the answer of a scant half teaspoon to a gallon of water so I mixed a gallon accordingly. Took some out for the sick Buff and pushed the tip of its beak into the bowl to see if it would drink. It took three sips then refused anymore.

Should I still get a dropper and make it drink more? How much should I make sure it drinks?

While I was at the store I bought a new waterer for the coop (I had an old hand-me-down in there that leaked a little). The rest of the gallon mix I put in the coop and run for the rest of the flock. All the others still seem okay.
Thank you for your help. I sure hope this works!

 

[buttercup hill]

UPDATE: Early this morning when I checked on my sick little chick, here is what I found:



AWESOME! I'm so happy! When I lifted the lid of the pen, it jumped up on the rim to greet me. Poo looks much more normal, too.

Unfortunately the coop showed signs of other infection and another Buff now joins this one in the pen. I made a fresh batch of Corid water for all, and the newest addition to my hobby shop drank well of it. I also changed the pine shavings in the coop and cleaned it really good again.
Thank you for the great help in solving this dilemma on Buttercup Hill !

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I am glad they are on the mend!