I'm new to BYC and have a question about chicks with diarrhea.
I ordered 26 silkie chicks from Ideal Poultry, they all arrived alive and seemed healthy last Thursday morning.
My husband and I had constructed a 3.5' x 5' brooder with a wire bottom and lined it with old bed sheets to protect their feet when they first arrived. After a couple days, we noticed some were eating the droppings and they were getting diarrhea. We were changing the sheets several times a day, but as ya'll know, chicks poo A LOT and there was no way to totally prevent the droppings from being eaten. On Sunday we removed the sheets to let the poo fall through the wire bottom. I hoped this would stop the behavior and clear up the diarrhea. So far most of the chicks are over it, but there are still a few that have watery poo. They aren't getting pasty butt or anything and other wise seem happy & healthy. Should I be concerned about it or just let it run its course?
The chicks were vacinated for mericks disease at the hatchery and are on medicated chick starter. I clean their two 32 ounce waterers 3-4 times a day, they have a large 30 hole metal feeder - I clean/fill it once a day, the temp inside the booder is at about 90 all the time, they are away from all the doors and windows in the house, no drafts that can tell.
Any suggestions?
I ordered 26 silkie chicks from Ideal Poultry, they all arrived alive and seemed healthy last Thursday morning.
My husband and I had constructed a 3.5' x 5' brooder with a wire bottom and lined it with old bed sheets to protect their feet when they first arrived. After a couple days, we noticed some were eating the droppings and they were getting diarrhea. We were changing the sheets several times a day, but as ya'll know, chicks poo A LOT and there was no way to totally prevent the droppings from being eaten. On Sunday we removed the sheets to let the poo fall through the wire bottom. I hoped this would stop the behavior and clear up the diarrhea. So far most of the chicks are over it, but there are still a few that have watery poo. They aren't getting pasty butt or anything and other wise seem happy & healthy. Should I be concerned about it or just let it run its course?
The chicks were vacinated for mericks disease at the hatchery and are on medicated chick starter. I clean their two 32 ounce waterers 3-4 times a day, they have a large 30 hole metal feeder - I clean/fill it once a day, the temp inside the booder is at about 90 all the time, they are away from all the doors and windows in the house, no drafts that can tell.
Any suggestions?
