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[Gge23]

@Gge23


Have you tried treating him for coccidiosis? I believe that not all strains cause blood in droppings, so it's easy to overlook as a cause of weakness.

Is that a bacterial infection? I think I've been told about it before. I'm just a bit sceptical about it being that because they have chick crumb with added antibiotics...so surely it shouldn't be an infection, should it?
It's been fine for the last few weeks, just yesterday I went to let them out, and as usual they all came flying out, besides this one chick I could hear chirping its little head off inside the coop. Eventually it came tumbling out, and it appears to be the same one I had trouble with when it hatched. Dave, as I mentioned, hatched out on his back and couldn't get up. I treated him for wry neck and after a few days he can round absolutely fine. Then a few weeks ago the symptoms started to come back, but not just in him, in another two of the chicks as well. So I started putting the vitamins and electrolytes back in the water, and I fed Dave vitamins directly from a syringe because he was the worst. Then over a week ago they started living outside, all of them made a big recovery, seem a lot happier out there and have had no problems. But as I said, yesterday poor Dave seems to have had a bit of a relapse. I've had him inside this morning, feeding him vitamins and water with electrolytes from a syringe, and I've got the Vitamin E capsules from work, so I've given him some of that. I've put him outside again and he seems happy as larry, walking around with his head held high, only spinning in circles a little bit but not much. Just seems the mornings he has trouble, maybe he is sleeping funny in the coop?

 

[rebrascora]

@Gge23
It's a misconception that medicated feed contains antibiotics. The medicine used is ACS (not an antibiotic), which is to help prevent coccidiosis. but if this chick hasn't been in good health from day one, it's immune system will be compromised and it may not have had enough of the medicine to keep it from developing a coccidiosis build up. (Coccidia are protozoa that thrive in damp conditions and often becomes a problem after a warm wet spell as they multiply in muddy puddles).

Brooder reared chicks are more prone to coccidiosis than broody hen reared chicks as they often get sudden exposure to it when put outside from a clean brooder environment rather than gradual from scratching in dirt from day one with a mother hen.

I'm not saying it is coccidiosis, but it is something to consider and a stronger dose of medicine for it (Amprollium) may be worth a try. It can be bought in liquid form for pigeons, but doesn't seem to be marketed for hens for some reason.

Anyway, good luck with the vitamins and hopefully they will have a beneficial effect again.

Regards

Barbara

 

[Gge23]

@Gge23

It's a misconception that medicated feed contains antibiotics. The medicine used is ACS (not an antibiotic), which is to help prevent coccidiosis. but if this chick hasn't been in good health from day one, it's immune system will be compromised and it may not have had enough of the medicine to keep it from developing a coccidiosis build up. (Coccidia are protozoa that thrive in damp conditions and often becomes a problem after a warm wet spell as they multiply in muddy puddles).

Brooder reared chicks are more prone to coccidiosis than broody hen reared chicks as they often get sudden exposure to it when put outside from a clean brooder environment rather than gradual from scratching in dirt from day one with a mother hen.

I'm not saying it is coccidiosis, but it is something to consider and a stronger dose of medicine for it (Amprollium) may be worth a try. It can be bought in liquid form for pigeons, but doesn't seem to be marketed for hens for some reason.

Anyway, good luck with the vitamins and hopefully they will have a beneficial effect again.

Regards

Barbara

Hi Barbara,
If it is coccidiosis, what other signs/symptoms should I be looking for? I'm hoping it's not, but just so I know what else I should be seeing ^_^ Can I get the medicine online? My local agricultural shop doesn't have much in the way of medicines and such, in fact it's pretty pathetic :/

 

[Rudies Roost]

Hi Barbara,
If it is coccidiosis, what other signs/symptoms should I be looking for? I'm hoping it's not, but just so I know what else I should be seeing ^_^ Can I get the medicine online? My local agricultural shop doesn't have much in the way of medicines and such, in fact it's pretty pathetic :/

I've got some in my "coop cupboard" which i bought off eBay, it's called Harkers but a search for coccidiosis treatment will bring up many search results. Never needed to use it as my chicks are broody raised, as @rebrascora mentioned, it's aimed for pigeons but apparently ok for other birds. I think it's not licensed for use in poultry (as virtually nothing is!).

 

[rebrascora]

I've got some in my "coop cupboard" which i bought off eBay, it's called Harkers but a search for coccidiosis treatment will bring up many search results. Never needed to use it as my chicks are broody raised, as @rebrascora mentioned, it's aimed for pigeons but apparently ok for other birds. I think it's not licensed for use in poultry (as virtually nothing is!).

SNAP!

@Gge23

It's a shame you don't live closer or I would have been happy to let you have some of mine.

Symptoms can vary depending on the strain, but basically it affects the digestive system, so usually diarrhoea with or without blood, weak and lifeless and failure to thrive and it can be fatal. There don't seem to be any significant side effects to treating them with amprollium which is a thiamine blocker. The important thing is to give them vitamin B complex supplement once treatment is complete.

Regards

Barbara

 

[Gge23]

SNAP!

@Gge23


It's a shame you don't live closer or I would have been happy to let you have some of mine.

Symptoms can vary depending on the strain, but basically it affects the digestive system, so usually diarrhoea with or without blood, weak and lifeless and failure to thrive and it can be fatal. There don't seem to be any significant side effects to treating them with amprollium which is a thiamine blocker. The important thing is to give them vitamin B complex supplement once treatment is complete.

Regards

Barbara

Now you see that is interesting...because the vitamins I give them have thiamine in...could that be causing a problem? Should I just give it straight Vitamin E?

 

[Gge23]

Now you see that is interesting...because the vitamins I give them have thiamine in...could that be causing a problem? Should I just give it straight Vitamin E?

At least I think it's Thiamine...smells like the tablets do in the dispensary!! I am giving it apple cider vinegar too to aid digestion because it does seem to start the day with some runny poo, but it clears up after it has passed a few.

 

[rebrascora]

Well guess who has another broody hen!!! This time it is a 2 year old cream legbar and it's her first time. This is my 8th broody of the season. I've given her 4 of her own eggs crossed to a welsummer cock and 4 light sussex eggs that could be by any one of 3 cockerels. I set her last night. Think I must be mad, but just can't pass up the opportunity to hatch more chicks! I'm actually starting to think that I would hatch less if I had an incubator as I sem to have several broodies "running" at once! I have a sneaky feeling that Frances will go broody again before the summer is out and I want to hatch some of her eggs too.

@Yorkshire Coop

Two fields down, one to go, as far as the yellow peril is concerned. Of course I've done the two easiest ones first. Have you got yours finished yet? We had a real down pour last night but the ground is still rock hard so I'm snapped off at the pockets tonight. There is going to be a big bonfire when I'm finished!!
Have you been out on Harry? I had a good session with Zak in the arena the other night. He is now jumping 2 ft so I'm very pleased with his progress. Even if he is unsure, he doesn't say "NO" like he was before. I just give him time to look at it and get his head round it and then back him up and ask again and he pops it no trouble. Waiting for his saddle to come back from the saddlers as it needed some adjusting and then my sister is going to come over and we will take him to a local cross country course and see how he manages with a variety of fences there.
Hope all is well in your household.

Best wishes

Barbara

 

[Gge23]

Good evening! I know it's rather late but I thought you would all like to know that in a dramatic U-turn of events, Dave is no absolutely fighting fit, no spinning or head dropping or anything! So much so that I am now struggling to tell which one he is when he is playing with his siblings...sometimes I do wonder if he is just playing with me I know he isn't ^_^ hope everyone has had a good day...enjoy the rest of your week!

 

[Rudies Roost]

Good evening! I know it's rather late but I thought you would all like to know that in a dramatic U-turn of events, Dave is no absolutely fighting fit, no spinning or head dropping or anything! So much so that I am now struggling to tell which one he is when he is playing with his siblings...sometimes I do wonder if he is just playing with me I know he isn't ^_^ hope everyone has had a good day...enjoy the rest of your week!

Yay!! Well done Dave and @Gge23 for turning him/her around.

My chicks are looking like 3 outta 5 are boys, I'm glad of 2 but not the 3rd. 2 of the suspect cockerel's are Silkies so only time will tell (I'm only going on their bolshy behaviour) one of the Thuringian's is sporting a much larger comb than it's sibling.....oh well!

@rebrascora I also have a further (now the 4th hen) going broody on me (a Silkie...typical), I don't really want any more youngsters this season so I'm in the process of breaking her. I lost my lovely Legbar hen 3 weeks ago to God knows what, breathing difficulties then dead in 24 hours, so I'm very jealous you have one! I miss those beautiful sky blue eggs :-(

Any how...Good evening all, chucks are tucked up but I have to put the ducks to bed before I turn in myself. Very windy here this evening so will have to get up early to check all the fencing...roll on the weekend!! Xx