Silkie thread!

[sheeshshe]

Hello everyone! I've been a little MIA

Well, coccidiosis... sigh.. Long story, but our silkies got it as chicks in the brooder. Treated with Corid. Then a few weeks later when I put them outside, one got it again. Treated with Corid. All has been well. Now, we got some new chicks and the other day I noticed blood in there again! I examined all of their bums and the one with dried blood on the feathers was one of the new ones. SO I didn't want to treat them ALL again, so I just took out the 2 new ones and put them in a cage. Since them I've seen no blood from either group! I can't imagine it would clear after just a couple of hours of corid. I'm just so darn confused. what if I was wrong and it was one of my original girls? what if she got it for the 3rd time now? would there be something wrong with her? Everyone is acting ok.

Another question though, the new 2 were used to a light still, so I've been moving it up an inch every couple of days. the light is about 2 1/2 feet off of the ground, but I can still feel the warmth at their level some. The light somehow burnt out in the night last night. Do I need to be worried that they'll get sick because they're now used to the warmth?

 

[aoxa]

Hello everyone!  I've been a little MIA

Well, coccidiosis...  sigh..  Long story, but our silkies got it as chicks in the brooder.  Treated with Corid.  Then a few weeks later when I put them outside, one got it again.  Treated with Corid.  All has been well.  Now, we got some new chicks and the other day I noticed blood in there again!  I examined all of their bums and the one with dried blood on the feathers was one of the new ones. SO I didn't want to treat them ALL again, so I just took out the 2 new ones and put them in a cage.  Since them I've seen no blood from either group!   I can't imagine it would clear after just a couple of hours of corid.  I'm just so darn confused.  what if I was wrong and it was one of my original girls?  what if she got it for the 3rd time now? would there be something wrong with her? Everyone is acting ok.

Another question though, the new 2 were used to a light still, so I've been moving it up an inch every couple of days.  the light is about 2 1/2 feet off of the ground, but I can still feel the warmth at their level some.  The light somehow burnt out in the night last night.  Do I need to be worried that they'll get sick because they're now used to the warmth?  

Do you put apple cider vinegar in their water?

If not you definitely should. Cocci is in every bird's intestines, but when they show signs of it, they have an overloaded system.

Ask Bee - Coccidiosis... What Is It and How Do I Prevent It?


Dear Bee –
My next door neighbor recently lost a number of chickens to coccidiosis. I’m concerned my flock has been exposed. Can coccidiosis be prevented?


Bee’s Answer:

All birds have coccidiosis present in their bowels.... they don’t become symptomatic of coccidiosis unless they develop an overgrowth of the cocci.

How do you prevent an overgrowth of cocci? Creating balance in the chicken, in the coop (see our Deep Litter Page) and in the surrounding soils is the first step. Doing one without the other is kind of useless as they will just get imbalanced again as the chicken moves between environments.

Providing healthy gut flora will eventually inhibit the overgrowth of things like cocci, e.coli, salmonella, etc.

One of the best means of helping your flock develop healthy gut flora is the use of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (U-ACV) in their water. Combine that with feeding your flock fermented feed (see our FF Page) and you have a winning combination.


It doesn't really matter how much ACV you put in their water... whatever amount your birds will tolerate. I never measure... I just tip the jug, allow a glug to flow and that's it. One glug for more water, a little glurp for little waterers. The thing is, it doesn't take much unpasteurized ACV to make a difference and any is better than none. You just don't want to put so much that they won't drink the water or you see their beaks dissolve when they dip for a drink! Just kidding.... that won't happen.

The following information – research describing why ACV is so good for the bowels - is from a very good site that you can find by clicking HERE.

Quote:
“Pediococcus acidilactici (the stuff in unpasteurized ACV) can function as immune modulators. Animals fed with P. acidilactici have shown enhanced immune responses against infectious coccidioidal diseases.

(Translation: Animals that are fed unpasteurized ACV are healthier and don’t get sick as easily as animals that don’t get U-ACV)

“Pediococcus acidilactici is also known to prevent colonization of the small intestine by pathogens like Shigella, Salmonella, Clostridium difficile and Escherichia coli among small animals.

(Translation: those scary-sounding diseases listed above don’t like that magic stuff in U-ACV and don’t grow well in animals that are fed U-ACV.)

“Pediococcus acidilactici has not been stated in any literature to have toxic effects. Another potential benefit of using them as Probiotics is their use as alternative medicines against infectious parasitic pathogens like Eimeria in broiler-chicken.”

(Translation: The magic stuff in U-ACV isn’t poisonous and won’t hurt your chickens. U-ACV is used to keep commercial broiler-chickens healthy… before they are broiled, of course.)


Quote:
“Eimeria, genus of parasitic protozoans of the spore-producing phylum Apicomplexa (previously Sporozoa). Eimeria, which causes coccidiosis in livestock and wild animals, infects mainly the cells of the digestive tract, although it also attacks cells of the liver and the bile duct. Symptoms of infection are diarrhea, weight loss, and general weakness. Eimeria is characterized by spore cases that contain four spores, each with two infective sporozoites. Among the common pathogenic species are E. necatrix and E. tenella (in poultry); E. stiedae (in rabbits); and E. bovis, E. ellipsoidalis, and E. zuernii (in cattle).”

(Translation: The thing that causes coccidiosis is a tiny little thing that mostly lives in the cells of an animal’s digestive tract, but it can also be in the cells of the liver and bile duct. If too much of those little things grow in an animal, the animal will "get" coccidiosis and may have bloody diarrhea, may lose weight and may be weak.)


As you can see (provided you know how to translate “Scientific”) is that cocci doesn’t like unpasteurized apple cider vinegar and won’t grow well inside animals that are fed U-ACV.

Pretty cool, huh?


- And for those of you who tend to fret over poo, HERE is a wonderful (and very graphic) page of what you do and don't want to see on your coop floor. Perhaps it will help put your mind at ease... and you can quit being all up in your chicken's... ahem... stuff.


Bee -

 

[sheeshshe]

I haven't in the past. I've never had issues with it until this year. This is the third time with the silkies and one other time with one of my EE's. In 3 years of chickens, I hadn't dealt with it before! Such craziness I'll have to get some of the good ACV.

 

[aoxa]

I haven't in the past.  I've never had issues with it until this year.  This is the third time with the silkies and one other time with one of my EE's.  In 3 years of chickens, I hadn't dealt with it before!  Such craziness  I'll have to get some of the good ACV.  

I'd definitely get some Great stuff!

I use it in my water, and also ferment feed. I have noticed a huge difference in egg quality, health and vigour and also my wallet is heavier

 

[CALI CHICK]

I'm kind of bummed today because I decided to sell my 2 splash boys. They are 8 months old. I really wanted to show Leo Pierre and use Leo Pierre and Mr. Puff in my BBS breeding pen. Considering I've only got one blue girl laying eggs, I feel this will be the best decision in the long run. Mysty Blue is so dominant and always thought she was the one in charge. And yet, these 2 boys were such little gentlemen. I will especially miss Leo Pierre........He is such a cuddler and getting more handsome every day. We have some younger silkies and I'm sure a few of them will end up being roosters.

The only positive thing is, they are priced higher than the average rooster so maybe nobody will be interested (and I'll get to keep them).

My sweet Leo Pierre

Here is a link to my Craigslist post in case anyone wants to see more pictures. https://post.craigslist.org/manage/3414269318/6aviw

 

[sheeshshe]

when it is at the bloody poop phase, can it ever go away on its own? I didn't think so. but by the time I got more corid and I wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke thin,g I saw it for 3 days. and now I see nothing!

 

[cindersga]

https://www.facebook.com/events/159228857552880/

Heads up Silkie Bantam lovers ~ The Carpet City Bantam Club Show is on Saturday the 24th and also the

district 2 meeting at 500 Legion Dr. Dalton, GA 30721

 

[littlecritters]

Quote: Thank you Tina

Tonight it broke my heart when my 4 year old son look at the sky and asked to Santa Claus if he could bring Maxime back. It was so sad!
How are your babies? Do you see any improvement?

That's the hardest part of being a mom, seeing sweet little ones coping with these heartbreaking situations. I can still picture my son at that age, so sweet and innocent. Thinking about this makes me want to hop in the car, drive to his college and give him a big hug! Thanks for asking about our silkies. One is doing well and the other three are surviving but not thriving. I'm trying to work my "mom magic" on them with extra nurturing and caregiving. Even though quarantine time is officially over...they came from a warmer climate, and make end up spending the winter in my house. Their immune systems are too compromised to be put outside in the coop with the cold NY temps. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[peepblessed]

I'm kind of bummed today because I decided to sell my 2 splash boys. They are 8 months old. I really wanted to show Leo Pierre and use Leo Pierre and Mr. Puff in my BBS breeding pen. Considering I've only got one blue girl laying eggs, I feel this will be the best decision in the long run. Mysty Blue is so dominant and always thought she was the one in charge. And yet, these 2 boys were such little gentlemen. I will especially miss Leo Pierre........He is such a cuddler and getting more handsome every day. We have some younger silkies and I'm sure a few of them will end up being roosters.

The only positive thing is, they are priced higher than the average rooster so maybe nobody will be interested (and I'll get to keep them).

My sweet Leo Pierre

Here is a link to my Craigslist post in case anyone wants to see more pictures. https://post.craigslist.org/manage/3414269318/6aviw

He's a pretty boy! I hope you get a great home them....

 

[aoxa]

when it is at the bloody poop phase, can it ever go away on its own? I didn't think so. but by the time I got more corid and I wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke thin,g I saw it for 3 days. and now I see nothing!

Yes it can. I had two bloody poops and did nothing about it. That was the extent of that. I try not to administer any antibiotics now.