We are still giving the chicks the food from Big R, along with the vitamins and Corid
The vitamins (thiamine) counteract the Corid... I would do the Corid only for now and then follow up with the vitamins after treatment is complete.
Sorry for your loss.
So you are using a water bottle... the drip kind has no chance of poo getting inside.. or is it just the standard chick water bottle with a well in the bottom? Make sure the shavings aren't wetter under neath than they look on top as happened to me once.
The food does not have a mill date. Do you think the milled feed is ok to use?
They all have dates by law, it's just a matter of finding it. In the link you posted for the company the second photo shows a best by date above the guaranteed analysis...
As one example, the Purina feed I buy has the date (milled not best by) stamped on the bottom bag paper seem. I have also see them just stamped on the front of some feeds. These are important because depending on storage conditions, nutrients can diminish rapidly with exposure to sun light, air, humidity, and heat, etc. Well stored feed may last well past the suggested date but poorly stored (or even transported since we don't know what happens before it reaches us) can go rancid or lose nutrients much sooner than the best by date... JUST for informational purposes.
I probably wouldn't in this case... but if you wanted to send the chick in for necropsy to state poultry lab to confirm COD... you would have more true answers. A link to state labs if you decide to go that route if it isn't too late for the last loss or in case you get another... It is often free or very affordable to back yarders.
State poultry labs
To me coccidiosis is most suspect... there should have been enough energy for them to still be active and trying to eat with more neural symptoms if it were nutrient deficit, according to my thought process.... Crop blockage would be another suspect... but more than one loss in a close period seems less likely.
I do think that food is OKAY to feed.. but maybe not ideal. I wouldn't toss it out unless it has gone bad. I might mix it in with the new chick feed or just feed it to your older flock, as is or add water and make a mash treat.
I'd be curious also to see a full nutritional analysis from the company on the feed if you happen to contact them and request it. I wonder if it's already been included in the thread started by
@Kiki because I'm sure she'd love to include it if not.
I'm sorry for the following statement... if it bothers you. But for informational purposes to anyone reading... Swedish Flower proved to me that most breeds are better on paper than in person AND so called "land race" breeds... aren't actually any better if even as good (or hardier) as many other breeds. If I had nothing for comparison they were lovely fun birds. Otherwise, with all my previous breed and breeding adventures.. they really were just meh. Still, NO loss is fun and I'm sorry. It makes those left.. THAT much more special.
