Worried about my recent additions

[zeusyboy]

Hello everyone - this is my first time posting. I've gotten tons of great info just by browsing here at BYC, but I decided to join because I am having trouble with my new baby chicks & am at my wits end! Last year we got chicks shipped from McMurray & all arrived and grew up healthy and happy. From that flock, we hatched our own little ones - a dozen & all are thriving and growing RAPIDLY! My concern is that we also got 15 chicks from a local hatchery and 2 of them have already died - and one seems to be declining rapidly. These chicks just don't seem to be growing well & their stool isn't like any of the ones we've had before. I'm wondering if it's coccidiosis or if I am just worrying about nothing & maybe these little guys just weren't strong enough. We've tried egg yolks and probiotics in the water. They seem to be eating and drinking but just don't seem as active as my own. (Our hatched chicks are not in the same place we have these so it can't be a problem of mixing flocks.) Should we consider Corid or just start on medicated feed? (we didn't use medicated feed on ours & had our first flock vaccinated) Or is it too late to start the feed at 5 days old? Any suggestions would help - we're not used to losing chicks!! NOT something we want to continue either

 

[hiddenacres]

Well let me start off by saying Welcome to BYC

i am sorry about whats happening. This is not good and form what you are saying i'm thinking it wouldn't hurt to try and do both feed and the corid. Well fist make sure what you are using is OK to use with the feed. It couldn't possibly hurt to try and well to save them i defiantly say to go and try both.

 

[newmarch2014]

Hi I am more new to this than you but when I got mine one seemed to be suffering from coccidosis and I was counseled that it does not hurt to treat for coccidosis while not treating can mean death. In my case only one seemed to really have an overload of the parasite and struggled but I treated the entire flock just in case. My little one that I thought would die recovered and is doing well. I will be following up with the 2nd week treatment starting tomorrow just to be sure.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Medicated feed won't treat the coccidiosis (not enough in it) and may not prevent it either. So if you are concerned I would give them the Corid.

I don't use medicated feed anymore but almost always end up having to treat with Corid (I feed organic mainly).

Having that bottle of Corid around is as vital as a heat lamp, when I raise chicks.

 

[zeusyboy]

Thanks for the quick responses! I think we are going to just get Corid and treat them but I hope it's not too late for the one that seems to be fading fast. I've read so many blogs that swear against the medicine but we have got to do something! It's tough to watch them struggle so badly. Hopefully the rest of them will pull through and thrive.

 

[newmarch2014]

I was just sure my little one was on deaths door for a couple days. She barely moved except once an hour or so she would shakily stand up. I put her in a little isolated box with a heat lamp and a mirror, I just put some food and water in tiny little metal cups in front of her so she did not have far to go. She would eat a few bites and drink a drink and lay back down. I started sprinkling some food on top of the water quite a few times a day to trick her into having more water since she did not like mushy food at all. She would then get more of the corid in her and within a couple days she was standing for longer periods and by the 3rd or 4th day she was walking around chirping loudly looking for her flockmates.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Thanks for the quick responses! I think we are going to just get Corid and treat them but I hope it's not too late for the one that seems to be fading fast. I've read so many blogs that swear against the medicine but we have got to do something! It's tough to watch them struggle so badly. Hopefully the rest of them will pull through and thrive.

5 days old is a bit young to have coccidiosis already unless they've been exposed to soil or other chicks/birds, but certainly not unheard of at all and it sure never hurts to run a course of Corid. It is a very simple medication, it is just a thiamin blocker and prevents the coccidia protozoa from absorbing enough thiamin to grow out of control and overwhelm the chick. By controlling the numbers of coccidia in the chicks gut it gives the chicks time to develop their own immunity to it. So in short, Corid is a very,very effective and valuable product in my opinion and has saved many, many chicks. Those who insist on it's dangers need to educate themselves about the coccidia protozoa as well as Corid (amprolium) and how it all works.

So yes, run a course and see if it helps. For the ones who are very sick, try giving them the medicated water with an eye dropper every couple hours the first day or so since they most likely will not drink enough on their own. Be very careful, just a drop at a time in the side of the beak and let it swallow. Good luck with them!

 

[Fancychooklady]

Your chicks were probably infected before you got them. I start taking my chicks outside on the soil from about day 5, by exposing them to the soil you are helping them with their natural immunity. Amprolium is a must for all first aid kits.

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

 

[zeusyboy]

We got the Corid and started treating yesterday. Sad to say it was too late for the worst one. But none of the others seem to have had a problem today. I was concerned about two of the others yesterday, but they seem better than they were. We will be sure we always have Corid on hand - just in case something happens. It's tough to lose one if there is a relatively easy fix! Thanks for all your help.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

We got the Corid and started treating yesterday. Sad to say it was too late for the worst one. But none of the others seem to have had a problem today. I was concerned about two of the others yesterday, but they seem better than they were. We will be sure we always have Corid on hand - just in case something happens. It's tough to lose one if there is a relatively easy fix! Thanks for all your help.

I am sorry for your loss.

How reassuring that the others seem to be OK!