The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[SunnySkies]

I overheard a couple of docs talking recently about mycoplasma being absolutely everywhere in the environment, so I think that we are lucky that we all don't have something like this going on in our flocks.

Yep. Most poultry veterinarians estimate 80-95% of backyard flocks are infected with MG. It appears when birds are stressed: heat, cold, shows, new birds, laying...something. I am a vet, and I had one bird get what looked like MG. I debated treating versus culling. But it was my best bird, so I treated. He died, but nobody else got sick. It happens.

 

[aoxa]

Your setup is a LOT nicer than mine... And much cleaner by the looks of it since I have no concrete.

Am curious... when you say bloody stool is it red or black. My experience with cocci is that black stools are what you worry about.
Not sure if this is true for chicks, but it is for lambs.
Also I'm curious... if it wasn't cocci back in Dec do you know what is was?
Would like to know what the other options are for future reference...

Let us know how they do.
We've had SO much rain here this year that I've been more paranoid about parasites than usual. Thus far we have dodges this bullet, but since I just got back from the barn (after another 4" of rain in the past few days) I can't help but worry.

This is before chicks lived there. It's been since finished.

The bloody stool was regular stool with liquid blood. Del mentioned they could have been gorging themselves. The chicks that had it were my basement babies, the ones that I had left from the fire.

Sorry it was February not December.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...keeping-thread-ots-welcome/6510#post_10415552
Here is where the topic started.

 

[aoxa]

x 2. I really hope you get it sorted out and the chicks back to health.

Thanks!

 

[aoxa]

Yep. Most poultry veterinarians estimate 80-95% of backyard flocks are infected with MG. It appears when birds are stressed: heat, cold, shows, new birds, laying...something. I am a vet, and I had one bird get what looked like MG. I debated treating versus culling. But it was my best bird, so I treated. He died, but nobody else got sick. It happens.

How many people have vets viewing their flock? So I have no clue how they would make this estimation.

I very much doubt it is that high. Can you provide proof?

 

[RedRidge]

The bloody stool was regular stool with liquid blood. Del mentioned they could have been gorging themselves. The chicks that had it were my basement babies, the ones that I had left from the fire.

So did you ever determine what the cause of the bloody stools was?

 

[aoxa]

So did you ever determine what the cause of the bloody stools was?

Sorry that day was busy.. I am re-reading my results. It happened just before the fire, and I can not for the life of me remember what I did and when it stopped. I know that none acted off. I remember that the poops were hard and had bloody discharge that tinged the shavings red...

I do think I switched to dry feed and it stopped.. I didn't bother with FF again until May. Right after the fire I wanted nothing to do with FF. Just too much work in that state of mind for me.

 

[delisha]

Sorry you are having problems Justine..

I would add powdered milk to the top of your feed to see how that works before I would add Corid. It sounds like you have advanced intestinal problems and Corid sometimes does not work if it is used to late.Sumit works better if it is caught later. It is very unusual for chicks so young to get cocci. I suspect something else to be honest.

I would pull them out and put them on the grass for the day, than clean out the shed and put them in there.

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: Did you put a dirt plug in with them? I've never dealt with cocci. When I got the new tots there were a few bloody poops but I assumed it was from the stress of moving. I didn't do anything for them & it cleared up.

Could it be something the meaties came to you with & its just now developing? I agree with you that that leaving some of the previous chicks litter in there would of benefited the new chicks. I did the same thing.

 

[aoxa]

Sorry you are having problems Justine..

I would add powdered milk to the top of your feed to see how that works before I would add Corid. It sounds like you have advanced intestinal problems and Corid sometimes does not work if it is used to late.Sumit works better if it is caught later. It is very unusual for chicks so young to get cocci. I suspect something else to be honest.

I would pull them out and put them on the grass for the day, than clean out the shed and put them in there.

Oh bummer.. What else do you think it could be?

That is what the store owner said. He does not feed medicated feed, but received some from the same batch. Said they acted weird. lethargic. He switched them to medicated feed and they perked right up. I have no idea WHY this would help. We're good friends with him, and he has raised chickens for decades.

I think it has something to do with the batch as well, but I'm not ready to give up on them yet. Susan bought electrolytes and medicated feed without asking. I'll try the medicated feed just out of curiosity. If they are going to die, might as well try.. I won't be feeding it to any other group but this one.

Really upset about it.

 

[aoxa]

Did you put a dirt plug in with them? I've never dealt with cocci. When I got the new tots there were a few bloody poops but I assumed it was from the stress of moving. I didn't do anything for them & it cleared up.

Could it be something the meaties came to you with & its just now developing? I agree with you that that leaving some of the previous chicks litter in there would of benefited the new chicks. I did the same thing.

Could be. I put one dirt plug in. My yard was looking terrible so I stopped digging it up and just provided grass picked by hand and grit. I also gave them strawberry tops. I gave all of my birds the same treatments.. Just boggles my mind.

It COULD be too hot. They have enough room to move away from the heat lamp, but those lethargic chicks are drawn to it. Should I raise it anyway? Even though they think they are cold?

It is hot outside right now, and will be until Monday. They really don't NEED it, but since they are ill, I haven't removed the heat lamp.