Started with sulmet, bought some corid, now what?

[seventreesfarm]

I have a chick with coccidiosis (showing all the signs anyway) so I started the whole batch on Sulmet last night, which is what I had on hand. Now I have some Corid, and am wondering if I should finish the run of Sulmet (2 days of full dose, then 4 of lower dose) or switch them over to Corid, or can I add Corid to the run of Sulmet in the same water?

I've read plenty of opinions and experiences with both meds, and see that there are reasons for people's preferences.

The sick chick was pretty far gone this afternoon. If it isn't improving by tonight we'll probably cull it. The Sulmet may be too strong for it, and the Corid may be too late. But for the rest of the chicks that aren't showing any trouble, stay with Sulmet, switch to Corid, or overlap the two?

These are 2.5 week old chicks btw. I took them off medicated feed after the first bag, which has been working fine with other hatches. After reading about how wet/humid weather can bump up cocci infections, I'll go back to medicated feed for the first month at least, just to be safe.

 

[enola]

If the chicks don't show improvement in 24 hours I would switch to Corid.

Is your brooder damp/wet? Are your chicks getting manure into their food and water?

 

[enola]

Medicated feed does not have enough 'medication' in it prevent coccidia. Only enough for chicks to build a natural immunity to coccidiosis. I don't even use medicated feed for chicks.

 

[seventreesfarm]

We've always had good results with our methods so far, just enough medicated feed to get the chicks 'up & running'. Never had any trouble except for the couple of times we experimented with non-medicated.

The brooder is always dry and warm with good ventilation, after a few days on paper, we use pine shavings and then nice fine hay for bedding. Water is changed twice a day, usually no dropping in it.

What I think happened is that we pulled some grass with sod attached for the chicks (which we have always done with no trouble) but this time around the 'native' cocci were more active or virulent than usual. And this one chick must have less resistance than the rest.

We've had weeks of record rain alternating with days of record heat, so I assume any endemic cooties will be much worse than previous years. We're already having issues with the dogs allergies etc that usually don't happen until summer. Looks like we'll have to tighten up some habits...

 

[seminolewind]

I have always used sulfadimethoxine. I can't be exact on the dose. But if you use Corid, stay the whole course.

 

[seventreesfarm]

Thanks for the info.

I think I'll switch to Corid when I get home tonight and run the full course with that. All but the one chick seems fine, so it will at least be a good preventative. And I plan to keep some in my vet cabinet now too, instead of just the Sulmet. Hopefully I won't have to use either again...

 

[seventreesfarm]

So the sick chick was dead when I got home from work.
All the rest look fine. Lots of energy, eating, drinking, running around, and no bloody or abnormal poops. I decided to finish the sulmet dosing, then see how they do. They'll be getting moved to a bigger pen in a week or two, so hopefully they'll be good to go in terms of cocci exposure. This weekend they will get access to the pen attached to the brooder coop.

Still pondering if I should change over to a preventative course of corid for future new chicks or stick with the medicated feed for a month or so....

 

[casportpony]

Sorry for your loss. If you decide to use Corid, here's some info:

FDA recommendations:
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/animaldrugsatfda/details.cfm?dn=013-149
"Chickens
Indications: For the treatment of coccidiosis.
Amount: Administer at the 0.012 percent level in drinking water as soon as coccidiosis is diagnosed and continue for 3 to 5 days (in severe outbreaks, give amprolium at the 0.024 percent level); continue with 0.006 percent amprolium-medicated water for an additional 1 to 2 weeks."

Doses listed are per US gallon.
The .006% dose for Corid Powder is 1/3 teaspoon (1.134 grams).
The .006% dose for Corid liquid is 1/2 teaspoon.

The moderate outbreak dose (.012%) for Corid Powder is 3/4 teaspoon (2.268 grams).
The moderate outbreak dose (.012%) for Corid liquid is 1 teaspoon.

The severe outbreak dose (.024%) for Corid Powder is 1.5 teaspoons (4.536 grams).
The severe outbreak dose (.024%) for Corid liquid is 2 teaspoon.

Dose for Amprol is the same.

FYI, Sulmet treats only two strains:

​

-Kathy

 

[seventreesfarm]

Thanks for the chart.
Yeah, I read that sulmet is stronger than corid, but only treats the two strains. I figure since they are already on it, and not really showing signs of infection, it won't hurt.
But for future hatches I think I will do a course of corid and not bother with the medicated feed. All the rest of my feed comes from a local mill, and I hate buying the Purina crap which is the only medicated available locally.

 

[casportpony]

Sulmet can have some serious side effects, I think.

-Kathy