Silkie help please.

[shelleypiat]

I have a three month old silkie that has bright red blood in stool this am. Last night was the first night in the big coop with four of my 10 wk old chicks. I have been socializing then for a while but last night I placed her in the coop with them to sleep. She's been very timid in the coop and as soon as I isolated her she ate and drank immediately. Is this a sign of stress or worms? Thank you. I am thinking my silkie may be too timid in the flock. They were picking on her a little but were more curious than anything.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would probably go ahead and treat them all for coccidiosis with Corid, a cattle medicine. Dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid, or 1.5 tsp of the powder per gallon of water for 5 days. Signs of cocci are lethargy, not eating, diarrhea or blood in stools, standing puffed up, and ruffled feathers.

 

[Rowsdower]

Are you currently feeding the younger ones medicated feed? The medicine in most medicated chick starters is Amprolium, which is a coccidiostat. This means that it inhibits the reproduction of the Coccidia (via Thiamine blocking, If I recall correctly). The lifespan of the parasite is relatively short-lived and they all just die off eventually. This means that the level of the coccidia in the younger chicks' system does not grow to such proportions that it causes bloody stools but they are still shedding the parasite and are able to infect any other birds that you might have (your Silkie). The above advice is solid, get you some Corid. I just wanted to explain how your babies might actually be the vector, despite lack of symptoms.

 

[shelleypiat]

Thank you guys! Yes they have been on medicated feed all of then from day one and continue to be. I did the corrid today! I kept her out of the big coop today so she wasn't so stressed. I may wait until the babies are bigger and put the three babies and silkies in with the big girls together to create less stress. I think the stress may have caused the cocci to overrun her immune system in the new environment. She seems much happier in the smaller area she is used to. Could it be possible that she won't work in the big coop? Too docile??

 

[Eggcessive]

I had a couple of silkies and 2 other bantams in a very large flock of large breeds. They did very well being together since day-olds for 3 years. We lost both of them last year at different times to a stray cat and to a hawk. They were always the lowest of the pecking order, but they mostly hung out in the big coop, only venturing outside a few times a day to free range. Since she was in the the babies, they might benefit from a round of Corid, but at least watch them for symptoms.