Treating Coccidiosis

[JOMOranch]

Hi-
First time chick owner here. I have 4 barred rock chicks, 3 silkies and 1 silkie/cochin mix that are all approx 5 weeks old now. This morning I noticed bloody droppings in their shavings for the first time. I was able to identify that it was one or possibly two of the barred rock chicks who were having the bloody stool although I can’t tell which one(s). I rushed to the feed store to buy Corid, cleaned out the coop, washed all their food and water containers, isolated the four barred rock chicks from the silkies and put the recommended dose of Corid in the water supply for both groups of chicks... everyone seems to be acting fine but now I’m concerned that the Barred Rocks that don’t have it are going to catch it! Is there anything else I should be doing? Thank you!!

 

[hysop]

Welcome. I recently lost three 8-week old chickens to that. I treated all the flock just to be safe.

Do pay attention to who has it because I think the 3 that died had it more severe. It’s been a week now and the others are doing well (as far as I can see).

I’ll be following this thread to see what others suggest. But so far all I’ve been doing is changing their water daily and cleaning their coop & pen a lot more often than I would have. Is it necessary to clean it so often? I don’t know, but ever since I lost 3 to coccidiosis I am more cautious. I’ve had chickens for 2 years (this being my 3rd) and had never dealt with it.

 

[coach723]

I would treat all the chicks that were kept together, they have all been exposed. If they are all being treated then those that have not shown symptoms may not. I don't isolate for coccidiosis unless the bird is so ill that it's at risk of being injured by the others. The oocysts are passed in the droppings, so they can be spread that way, keeping feeders and waterers as clean and dropping free, and keeping droppings from building up will help minimize the spread. Coccidia are in the soil, everywhere, and it's impossible to eradicate them completely. Chicks and young birds are most at risk. Warm, wet periods, where the ground stays wet, can contribute to outbreaks, which is why brooders are often a concern. Keep bedding as dry as possible. Once they recover they will have resistance to whatever strain(s) they have been exposed to, and should not get sick again unless they are exposed to a new strain (there are 8 or 9 strains that affect chickens), or their immune systems are compromised by something else. Anytime birds are moved to new ground, or new birds are brought in, there is risk that they will be exposed to a new strain, and new birds may not be resistant to whatever strain you have. It's a good idea to have the medication on hand when you have chicks, so you can treat quickly if necessary. When I have chicks in the brooder I start when they are just a few days old with providing them a large plant saucer of dirt from my yard (not the chicken run) to dig and scratch and peck and dustbathe in. This exposes them naturally to all the microbes in the soil while their immune systems are maturing. The plant saucer makes it easy to dump out and clean and give fresh dirt every day. My incidence of coccidiosis outbreaks has been greatly reduced since I started doing it, and I haven't had an outbreak in 4 or 5 years. I do still keep the meds on hand so I have them if needed.
Just to make sure, the correct dosing for Corid liquid is 2 teaspoons per gallon of water, and for the powder is 1 1/2 teaspoons per gallon of water. You can also direct dose any with an oral dose in addition to the medicated water for up to 3 days, if any are lethargic, acting off, or you know they are passing bloody droppings then those are the ones I would direct dose. Instructions for that are here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/corid-oral-drench-instructions.1211991/
And if you are interested, this is a very informative video about coccidiosis:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/coccidiosis-video-worth-watching.1262022/#post-20258950

 

[JOMOranch]

I would treat all the chicks that were kept together, they have all been exposed. If they are all being treated then those that have not shown symptoms may not. I don't isolate for coccidiosis unless the bird is so ill that it's at risk of being injured by the others. The oocysts are passed in the droppings, so they can be spread that way, keeping feeders and waterers as clean and dropping free, and keeping droppings from building up will help minimize the spread. Coccidia are in the soil, everywhere, and it's impossible to eradicate them completely. Chicks and young birds are most at risk. Warm, wet periods, where the ground stays wet, can contribute to outbreaks, which is why brooders are often a concern. Keep bedding as dry as possible. Once they recover they will have resistance to whatever strain(s) they have been exposed to, and should not get sick again unless they are exposed to a new strain (there are 8 or 9 strains that affect chickens), or their immune systems are compromised by something else. Anytime birds are moved to new ground, or new birds are brought in, there is risk that they will be exposed to a new strain, and new birds may not be resistant to whatever strain you have. It's a good idea to have the medication on hand when you have chicks, so you can treat quickly if necessary. When I have chicks in the brooder I start when they are just a few days old with providing them a large plant saucer of dirt from my yard (not the chicken run) to dig and scratch and peck and dustbathe in. This exposes them naturally to all the microbes in the soil while their immune systems are maturing. The plant saucer makes it easy to dump out and clean and give fresh dirt every day. My incidence of coccidiosis outbreaks has been greatly reduced since I started doing it, and I haven't had an outbreak in 4 or 5 years. I do still keep the meds on hand so I have them if needed.
Just to make sure, the correct dosing for Corid liquid is 2 teaspoons per gallon of water, and for the powder is 1 1/2 teaspoons per gallon of water. You can also direct dose any with an oral dose in addition to the medicated water for up to 3 days, if any are lethargic, acting off, or you know they are passing bloody droppings then those are the ones I would direct dose. Instructions for that are here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/corid-oral-drench-instructions.1211991/
And if you are interested, this is a very informative video about coccidiosis:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/coccidiosis-video-worth-watching.1262022/#post-20258950

Thank you so much for the info!!!