Sick chick purchased from feed store

[julie0477]

About a month ago I bought 5 healthy chicks from a local feed store. They are all doing great. A week ago I went to the same feed store and found that they had day old bantams. I bought 5, and then the next day went back and bought 3 more. The same day that I brought home the 3 new babies I noticed one of them had blood in its feces and its vent started to protrude. I never noticed any more blood but the protrusion was getting worse. It acted completely fine but it would get some diarrhea sticking to its behind so I would clean that. After about 4 days it died, and then I noticed a couple of other chicks started to get diarrhea. This is when I started to panic. I had one of the month old chicks in with the babies because of space. Her droppings were completely normal so I moved her out and quarantined her. I watched her for a couple of days and saw no signs of anything so I moved her back in with her old flock. I quarantined the two sickest chicks with diarrhea. Started them all on medicated feed and added ACV to their water. One sick chick died yesterday, the other is showing signs of improvement (up & eating... actually trying to fly out of the box now), but I am still seeing some loose droppings in the box with the remaining chicks. Some of its kind of mucousy. Kind of a tan color. My first thought was coccidiosis but can chicks this young get that? Could it be e-coli? Pullorum? I have free range adult chickens outside. I am a nervous wreck. I don't know what to do. :/

 

[julie0477]

I should add when the last chick died it spent its last day or so very weak. Could hardly stand. Fell over easily, and had watery brown diarrhea.

 

[realsis]

sounds like coccidosis they can still have cocci without having bloody stool. you would treat with corid. corid kills all 9 strains of cocci while other meds only kill SOME strains. you can find corid powder or liquid at the feed store. I would treat soon because time is of essence. the corid should cure them right up.good luck and best wishes.

 

[julie0477]

So you think they could have contracted that this young? They've not been outside yet, but I guess they do get exposed to all kinds of stuff at the feed store and the hatchery. Do you happen to know if I should use the medicated feed in conjunction with the corid? Will that be too much of the drug?

 

[realsis]

I am unsure about that. to be safe I'd stop the medicated feed until treatment is finished. just to be safe. yes they are very young but your right I'm sure they were exposed to a lot from the hatchery and feed store. my prayers are with you and I pray your babies get well very soon! please keep us posted on how they are doing. God bless

 

[julie0477]

Thank you very much. I've been worried sick. I will treat the youngest babies and the month olds.

Now -- I do clean their cages out in the field and my adult hens and rooster free range. They've always been very healthy, but I am sure they have checked out the bedding - come in to contact. Do you think I should treat them too? I've recently started adding ACV to their water as a precaution but I am not sure if thats enough. I don't want to destroy any immunity that they already have but I dont want to lose my girls either. What a mess. Thanks so much for your help. In the future I am going to be so much more careful about keeping new babies and their litter separate. I have a small flock and just have never had this happen before.

 

[julie0477]

I was optimistic about my quarantined chick. When I got home it was trying desperately to get out of his box to the other chicks. Seemed to be eating some too. After I watched him a bit I noticed he was getting wobbly and off balance just like the one I lost. He still has diarrhea as do a few of the others but they are acting otherwise normal. I started everyone on the corid. We will see how things look tomorrow. I just hope I'm treating for the right thing.

 

[julie0477]

I've been reading more and called a couple of vets.... Wondering if this could be an acute salmonella infection? Just because of their age. I may add an antibiotic to the regime.

 

[julie0477]

Well I left work early today and picked up antibiotic. My quarantined chick is not looking so good. It's not able to hold its balance. I started just this one on antibiotic in addition to the corid as a last ditch effort. I'm so sad

 

[julie0477]

Talked to a guy from the hatchery that the chicks came from. He said that its unlikely that the chicks have cocciodosis or any other disease at this age (they are just over a week old now). He thinks the first one that went down was probably pecked at the vent due to temps and conditions at the store. It probably got infected causing it to die. Would this have accounted for the mucousy pooh? I don't know. Two more died in a similar fashion. I've had several batches of chicks and always housed and heated them the same way and I've never lost even one baby. This time I systematically lost three and then nearly a 4th. All that being said my little quarantined peanut is improving. If he continues to do so I'll move him back with his family of chicks after he is done with his antibiotic. Not sure if its the corid helping or the antibiotic but So far so good! And all the others still seem healthy. Perhaps this is the end of the plague!?