Urgent Poop Question - Updated - Positive for Coccidia

[Caliphe]

My apologies, I'd like to hear from anyone else who has actually had experience with chicks with this type of poop. I've clicked through the sites, but the chickens are not showing symptoms of cocci - besides the small amount of blood (not ruling out, they're having their poo checked on Wednesday).

I do not want to treat my chickens unnecessarily if the above poop is normal.

 

[KlaHaYa Gardens]

Quote:
No need to apologize. I'm just trying to understand what you are looking for.

I would suspect that most of us who have kept chickens for any length of time have experience with this. It is a fine line, however, recognizing what something is because you are so familiar with it, and giving someone else veterinary advice when one is not a vet, and even if one was a vet, it wouldn't be appropriate to give veterinary advice on a forum. Thus the responsible answers pointing you in the right direction to come to your own conclusion to seek veterinary care or treat on your own as you wish.

Yes, I have had experience with what you pictured, thus the best advice I could give you was to point you in the right direction.

Good luck.

 

[chickengrl]

I wouldn't reccomend waiting until wednesday if you suspect coccidia. The birds are pretty sick by the time you see blood. If you wait, you may lose one. I guess it depends on whether you want to take your chances with that. It might just be intestinal lining and everything will be fine. Have you had them on medicated chick food? I would also be more concerned with the sneezing. It could be a sign of a respiratory infection and they are very contagious. Good luck. Let us know what the vet says. An opportunity to learn something should not be wasted. Good luck!

 

[Chickengal505]

Calm down, this is quite normal. It looks like shed intestinal lining. I'm not shure what poop page you where using but it you look at this one: http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0 And scroll down, the last three pictures under "normal" contain shed intestinal lining. The reason you can't find a picture exactly like your sample is because differnet birds produce differnent poo's. If this becomes a "every-other-poop" kind of this re-post as a new topic, and say it's reoccuring. The sneezing; What kind of bedding are you using? How many birds do you have in this one pen? How big is the pen?

Take three deep breaths

We all freak out, I know when I first started with chicken keeping I had my share of "HELP ME! IS THIS NORMAL" threads

And yes this has happened to me, so you could say I have experiance with this

 

[KlaHaYa Gardens]

Quote:
The OP mentioned her bird is sneezing as well. Sneezing isn't normal and a vet check along with a stool sample and the picture might be well worth it for her peace of mind and for the sake of her flock.

If the intestines are compromised, so is the bird.



OP, regardless -- things are solvable! Worst case scenario you lose the bird, but it can be replaced and you will be wiser. It is not horrible, maybe not fun, but it is part of keeping chickens. Chin up.

 

[Chickengal505]

Quote:
The OP mentioned her bird is sneezing as well. Sneezing isn't normal and a vet check along with a stool sample and the picture might be well worth it for her peace of mind and for the sake of her flock.

If the intestines are compromised, so is the bird.



OP, regardless -- things are solvable! Worst case scenario you lose the bird, but it can be replaced and you will be wiser. It is not horrible, maybe not fun, but it is part of keeping chickens. Chin up.

Hi KlaHaYa Gardens, If you will notice I've bolded one of your statements and a few questions I asked adressing the sneezing.

 

[empireranch]

I think the size of the picture makes it look more frightening...... on a smaller scale and with the poop link pictures as a reference, I would tend to intestinal lining also. However, I think it is important to look at all possibilities and always be prepared to take immediate action if necessary.

 

[KlaHaYa Gardens]

Quote:
The OP mentioned her bird is sneezing as well. Sneezing isn't normal and a vet check along with a stool sample and the picture might be well worth it for her peace of mind and for the sake of her flock.

If the intestines are compromised, so is the bird.



OP, regardless -- things are solvable! Worst case scenario you lose the bird, but it can be replaced and you will be wiser. It is not horrible, maybe not fun, but it is part of keeping chickens. Chin up.

Hi KlaHaYa Gardens, If you will notice I've bolded one of your statements and a few questions I asked adressing the sneezing.

Thank you. I did miss your question to the OP. I think she may have missed it, too.

I think it would be exceedingly helpful to her if she found someone close by with more experience to mentor her in person. Looking at the coop situation, other chicks, etc.

Meanwhile, the likelihood for coccidiosis is high. Given the age of the bird, the stool picture, and the stool does NOT appear to be under a wire rack which would mitigate the opportunity for coccidia. Regardless, we can guess and speculate, and give her all the links and suggestions based on our experience, and that's about all.

She can follow the links, read, and study, but given that she is new, and quite upset as she indicated, combined with two issues with the chick, she would most likely get the quickest, best, and most reassuring answer from a vet.

 

[Caliphe]

Quote:
I did not miss the question. I did not even have an opportunity to respond.


Chickengal,

I have another topic about the sneezing, and have already received advice from a poultry vet in my area on it. The vet's suggestion was to do nothing. Keep them warm and comfortable. They are on pine bedding and there are 8 birds. The pen is just large enough for all of them.


Klahaya, I appreciate your advice. My poultry veterinarian was not immediately available to take a stool sample. I came here for supplemental advice until the time that she could.

I've looked at all the sites provided. Besides the small amount of lining inside the stool, they are not showing the other symptoms of cocci. I'm aware all birds are different, and not all will show every single symptom.

Thank you all for your advice and links. I've had time to calm down. Stool test is today.

 

[krcote]

I hope everything turns out well for you and your chickens!