Treating new chicks for coccidiosis

[MamaHen11]

Just as soon as they have discovered the chick starter, and are filling up on that, I then start the soil. I like to get them eating their food first. But "stronger and more resilient"? The chicks gain their strength from their food, and they become more resilient as they mature, especially as their guts and immune systems mature, and that happens by exposure to local soils. Mama broody has her chicks out on barn yard soil within 48 hours of hatch and they are eating the soil, all the goodies she scratches up for them, and they even eat a fair amount of chicken poo. The latter is the primary way that animal infants develop their gut flora.

Do you get chicks ship to you? Or do you had your own?

I’m just curious because the chicks are passed some immunity from their mother, so having them out of the nest and being exposed to the cocci that their mother was exposed to prior to laying the eggs probably allows them to build immunity more effectively. Whereas chicks that were shipped do not have the basis that locally hatched chicks do. So I’m a little wary of introducing the soil to shipped chicks without some supporting meds.

 

[lazy gardener]

This spring, I had both a shipment of chicks as well as my own chicks hatched in an incubator from my own flock. Both groups were hatched on the same day, and brooded together. All were treated the same: unmedicated feed, started on soil right away. Only difference being that my home hatched chicks grew much faster than the shipped chicks. (I also ALWAYS use Poultry Nutri -Drench for the first 2 weeks. Starting daily, and then decreasing frequency to several times/week.)

If you are not comfortable raising your chicks on unmedicated feed, then by all means, put them on medicated feed. There is no right or wrong choice here. Simply do the homework, and make your own decision based on what you feel is best for your flock and your situation.

 

[MamaHen11]

This spring, I had both a shipment of chicks as well as my own chicks hatched in an incubator from my own flock. Both groups were hatched on the same day, and brooded together. All were treated the same: unmedicated feed, started on soil right away. Only difference being that my home hatched chicks grew much faster than the shipped chicks. (I also ALWAYS use Poultry Nutri -Drench for the first 2 weeks. Starting daily, and then decreasing frequency to several times/week.)

If you are not comfortable raising your chicks on unmedicated feed, then by all means, put them on medicated feed. There is no right or wrong choice here. Simply do the homework, and make your own decision based on what you feel is best for your flock and your situation.

I started them on Corid as I don’t have medicated feed. One chick just produced this dropping. Anything else I should have my eye out for with this? It was also the last to be up and moving about when I turned the lights on.

 

[peeper89]

maybe this hlep u
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/12/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken.html

 

[lazy gardener]

I started them on Corid as I don’t have medicated feed. One chick just produced this dropping. Anything else I should have my eye out for with this? It was also the last to be up and moving about when I turned the lights on.

View attachment 1155125

If the chicks are up and moving around well, eating well, not standing around with puffed up feathers or otherwise looking ill, they don't need to be treated for coccidiosis. If you reach for medication every time one of your birds produces an odd looking poop, you will be treating them all the time. IMO, that is a cecal poo, and perfectly normal. If her poo is like that all the time, you might want to be on alert. But again, take your cue re: treating them from their behavior.

Several broods ago, I had a couple chicks that were frequently pooing a yellow froth. They were all acting fine. I had delayed starting this group on fermented feed. I chose a wait and see approach. Put them on fermented feed. Within 48 hours all of the yellow frothy poops had ceased.

Again, you can choose what makes you comfortable. But, IMO hitting them with medication if not clearly indicated is counterproductive to the overall health of the flock.

 

[MamaHen11]

If the chicks are up and moving around well, eating well, not standing around with puffed up feathers or otherwise looking ill, they don't need to be treated for coccidiosis. If you reach for medication every time one of your birds produces an odd looking poop, you will be treating them all the time. IMO, that is a cecal poo, and perfectly normal. If her poo is like that all the time, you might want to be on alert. But again, take your cue re: treating them from their behavior.

Several broods ago, I had a couple chicks that were frequently pooing a yellow froth. They were all acting fine. I had delayed starting this group on fermented feed. I chose a wait and see approach. Put them on fermented feed. Within 48 hours all of the yellow frothy poops had ceased.

Again, you can choose what makes you comfortable. But, IMO hitting them with medication if not clearly indicated is counterproductive to the overall health of the flock.

No, I’m treating for down/dumpy behavior and crying. But then this poop came out of one (three acting down/cold/crying) who was already a bit off... hence the question of what else I should look for...

 

[lazy gardener]

Are they warm enough? Only you see them, and see their behavior, so only you can make the decision to treat or not to treat. You'll probably be happier if you treated them and they really didn't need it than you would if you didn't treat them, only to find that they should have been treated.

I'm not at all an expert on coccidiosis, cause I've never had to deal with it.

 

[MamaHen11]

Are they warm enough? Only you see them, and see their behavior, so only you can make the decision to treat or not to treat. You'll probably be happier if you treated them and they really didn't need it than you would if you didn't treat them, only to find that they should have been treated.

I'm not at all an expert on coccidiosis, cause I've never had to deal with it.

So true. I know that if one passes, I’ll have given it and the flock the best chance at health and thriving, and it was likely on individual issue.

 

[peeper89]

No, I’m treating for down/dumpy behavior and crying. But then this poop came out of one (three acting down/cold/crying) who was already a bit off... hence the question of what else I should look for...

r baby chics better - did u treat them or were they jus cold

 

[MamaHen11]

r baby chics better - did u treat them or were they jus cold

The baby chicks are no longer down/dumpy. Everybody is doing better as of yesterday (didn't get to see them in person today yet). They weren't cold the ~36 hours they were crying-they moved in and out of the heat pad normally....I think they were just a little over-worn from the shipping and excitement of the first day in their new digs. Kinda like cranky toddlers.