I just went out to check on my 5 & 6 week old chicks in their outdoor run. One of my Black Copper Marans cockerels (one of only five that hatched from shipped eggs) was dead, lying beside the feeder/waterer (I was shocked so can't remember which).
It was a big, very healthy chick. All chicks were acting normally, scratching, pecking, eating, as usual when I moved them into the run this morning. I have a total of 41 chicks now - various breeds, Silkies, Plymouth Rocks, Marans, Ameraucanas, Easter Eggers, bantams, Sex-Links, a Leghorn, etc.
I had no idea as to the cause of death until I thought of possible cocci. They have been on medicated chick starter (amprolium). I have 15 adult chickens in the coop beside their brooder (none of which are currently sick). I've also had chicks every spring and never had this problem.
The 42 chicks were in a shaded run, had access to food and water. Temp would be around 87 F, I think. I carried each chick to the run this morning and I remember this particular Marans as being normal and healthy looking. When I found him, his comb was very pale and he was already stiff.
They all look fine right now but I'm worried another will drop dead. They are very valuable chicks to me so I want to save them if possible.
I checked in the run - many hundreds of droppings, but I found three that had a small amount of stringy blood (intestinal lining?) in them.
Does this sound like cocci? Does it normally affect chicks as large as Marans more immediately than a tiny bantam chick? Are the others in danger? Even if they all look fine now, could I expect more deaths in the next 24 hours?
Also, I live in Canada. I don't think Corid is sold.
It was a big, very healthy chick. All chicks were acting normally, scratching, pecking, eating, as usual when I moved them into the run this morning. I have a total of 41 chicks now - various breeds, Silkies, Plymouth Rocks, Marans, Ameraucanas, Easter Eggers, bantams, Sex-Links, a Leghorn, etc.
I had no idea as to the cause of death until I thought of possible cocci. They have been on medicated chick starter (amprolium). I have 15 adult chickens in the coop beside their brooder (none of which are currently sick). I've also had chicks every spring and never had this problem.
The 42 chicks were in a shaded run, had access to food and water. Temp would be around 87 F, I think. I carried each chick to the run this morning and I remember this particular Marans as being normal and healthy looking. When I found him, his comb was very pale and he was already stiff.
They all look fine right now but I'm worried another will drop dead. They are very valuable chicks to me so I want to save them if possible.
I checked in the run - many hundreds of droppings, but I found three that had a small amount of stringy blood (intestinal lining?) in them.
Does this sound like cocci? Does it normally affect chicks as large as Marans more immediately than a tiny bantam chick? Are the others in danger? Even if they all look fine now, could I expect more deaths in the next 24 hours?
Also, I live in Canada. I don't think Corid is sold.
