URGENT - Advice/Confirmation on coccidial symptoms in laying hen

[naturegrrl]

Upon returning from our thanksgiving holiday, we noticed that one of our hens had stopped laying. No big deal, as it is getting to be that time of year. Our alpha hen had also begun picking on her particularly fiercely, but again (since no feathers were being lost or blood drawn), we figured that it was a natural event. However over the past week we have begun to notice other, more disturbing symptoms. Kitty is still behaving *mostly* normally, but: she doesn't forage as much as the other girls; shows somewhat less interest in food, although she is still eating. She seems a little sleepier than usual, often roosting a little longer or laying down in the middle of the day for a while. Her feathers are just slightly in disarray, and she has also begun another molt (even though she did a full molt in August). Then, starting two days ago, I noticed that there are small splotches of blood on the urea cap of her feces. She does not have diarrhea, and her color is still normal (red face, yellow legs). Still, adding all of these symptoms together I come up with a coccidiosis infection. All of the girls were on Amprolium feed until they began to lay, at which point I switched them to an organic, non-medicated layer feed.
Can more experienced folks confirm this diagnosis (I've included pics of the poo below), and advise me on how best to treat? She is a pet bird, so I will not cull (please don't suggest it, even if you think it's the best way - I'm sure it is the best way for many folks, but just pretend I'm talking about a treasured cat or dog rather than a chicken - that's what she is to me). I will however take her to the vet if necessary.
Thanks in advance for helping me out with this!

 

[naturegrrl]

Also, would there be any benefit, at this stage, to quarantining her from the other two girls? As I understand it, if she's got blood in her feces she's already pretty far along, and the other girls have already been exposed. We do clean up the feces in the henhouse and coop every day, but not in the larger run, so they've probably been exposed there.

 

[naturegrrl]

I know we're not supposed to bump, but I could really use some insight on this problem!

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

I can't help you with this, but hope someone else can.

 

[Suechick]

I have a friend that is treating her chick with sulmet. Here is a recent thread about treating coccidosis. Don't know if it helps.
I'm saying a little prayer for your girl, I know how attatched we can get to these precious creatures.

Hope she feels better soon.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=273518

 

[naturegrrl]

I have a friend that is treating her chick with sulmet. Here is a recent thread about treating coccidosis. Don't know if it helps.
I'm saying a little prayer for your girl, I know how attatched we can get to these precious creatures. hugs
Hope she feels better soon.

Thanks for the reply, and for the good wishes. I ordered some liquid amprolium yesterday, so I should be able to begin treatment with that as soon as it arrives tomorrow. I just wish I knew for sure that it is coccidiosis, and not some other gut issue - I hate to treat for one thing and have it end up being something else, especially if it's something the amprolium won't take care of.

Thanks again for your kind thoughts, and for providing that helpful link!​

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Make sure to also give her plain yogurt (low sugar) to help her digestive system while you are giving her the medication.

 

[naturegrrl]

Make sure to also give her plain yogurt (low sugar) to help her digestive system while you are giving her the medication.

Good idea! I've put her on soy yogurt with probiotics in the morning, and oatmeal with poultry nutri-drench in the evenings. She still seems enthusiastic about food, which is a good sign, I think... she just doesn't eat as much as normal. I haven't felt a full crop on her in over a week. She slept inside last night, and I think I'll continue to keep her in at night until she's back to her 100%. I'm also having to keep our alpha completely separated from her now, otherwise she just gets relentlessly harassed and pecked.

I'm wondering if anyone has come across other poultry diseases that present with out-of-season molt, mild lethargy, slight loss of appetite, and small spots of dark red blood in otherwise solid feces?​

 

[pips&peeps]

That doesn't look like cocci to me. Usually they will have diahrrea and there will either be lots of blood or no blood.

Your bird's poo looks normal. They do shed the lining of the intestines every once in a while and it is an orangey red color. That is what I would think it is.

Also, the best treatment for cocci is amprolium/corid. Sulmet can be pretty harsh and you will have to pull your eggs, there is no withdrawal when using amprolium.

 

[PunkinPeep]

I'm not sure what this is, but i do NOT think it is cocci. And i would NOT give her the Corid/Amprolium.

She is obviously sick with something - or weak for some reason - and amprolium will inhibit her ability to absorb vitamins.

I do not have experience with things like early molts, etc., so i do not want to guess at a diagnosis for you.

I might check for mite/lice problems that could be making her weak.

But if you have the means and desire to take her to a good avian vet - not a regular vet (regular vets don't have a good track record with chickens), then do so. The vet can do a fecal float test and find out if there is a parasite problem. An avian vet might be able to look at her and tell you exactly what's going on.

By the way, how old is she?