Young/Baby chicks dying.. cannot solve this problem!

[ItsAZOO32]

Hi all.. I have a small backyard flock and hatch out babies from eggs I purchase. I haven't brought in any new birds that weren't babies. Unfortunately a few weeks ago I started losing birds... all younger (5 weeks or less).

I keep babies up to 3 weeks old on my porch in guinea pig cages as brooders. Then they move to an outside hutch. (one is elevated with an open bottom, the other is on the ground with an area they can scratch at the ground) We are in Florida so heat lamps aren't necessary as long.

The all eat Medicated chick starter and drink from large water bottles.

SO.. the first issue started a few weeks ago. I noticed two young birds all puffed up (with feathers), looking miserable in the ground pen. I thought either bad feed or coccidiosis. (I did see a small amount of bloody poo) By the time I got home with new feed those two were dead. I treated with Sulmet as per the directions. Didn't lose any more from that group but a couple of slightly younger birds started looking off so I treated them as well.

Lost a couple of younger birds. Noticed some mites, not many so I am using DE on babies and put Ivermectin on adults.

Cleaned baby pens and feed/water dishes with bleach solution this weekend.

NOW, I am still losing babies (all 2-3 weeks old) They just seem to stop eating/drinking, look miserable and in a few days die. Someone please help.. this is making me CRAZY!! I am losing about 1 a day which I know isn't a terrible amount but it's still frustrating.. I can't keep all of these babies and I can't sell them until they are well...

Thank you!!

 

[Cciprnancy]

I'm not an expert, but my guess is coccidiosis. The way to tell is to have them examined after they die, and that would probably take too long. A bloody stool will be seen.

Here is a link of the products you can use. I believe the product I've seen at TS and feed stores is corid. If you're no treating them for this, I would get it and start it immediately.

I'll keep looking and follow this post. This is something that could happen at any time to any of us.

http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/coccidtable205.pdf

 

[Nava]

clean the brooders and disinfect them really good and treat them ,ight be cocci

 

[ItsAZOO32]

Did treat with Sulmet.. Did disinfect brooders.. still lost a few after that..

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Try treating with corrid in place of the Sulmet

 

[IroquoisEgg]

I am going through the exact same thing-if I wouldn't have known better I'd have thought I started this thread! Man, they seem to be dropping left and right! Makes me want to quit raising chickens at all.

I have used Sulmet and Corid, unforutnately the Sulmet isn't working on this current few who are sick. Corid has always proven to be successful for fighting cocci, in my experience. You may lose ones that were too far gone before you started medicating. You won't always see bloody stools with cocci either. But, I've learned through the years that a youngster fluffed up, not eating/drinking, just sort of fading away, rather quickly, is more times than not cocci.

Corid is pricey compared to the Sulmet but it's the best way to go. The sulmet is very hard on their systems. I think it would be okay to keep treating them with the Sulmet until you get some Corid-but may want to make sure or if there is a waiting period. Corid active ingredient is: Amprolium. I have seen generics for sale online. Good luck and I will stay tuned in to see what happens.

 

[ItsAZOO32]

I am going through the exact same thing-if I wouldn't have known better I'd have thought I started this thread! Man, they seem to be dropping left and right! Makes me want to quit raising chickens at all.

I have used Sulmet and Corid, unforutnately the Sulmet isn't working on this current few who are sick. Corid has always proven to be successful for fighting cocci, in my experience. You may lose ones that were too far gone before you started medicating. You won't always see bloody stools with cocci either. But, I've learned through the years that a youngster fluffed up, not eating/drinking, just sort of fading away, rather quickly, is more times than not cocci.

Corid is pricey compared to the Sulmet but it's the best way to go. The sulmet is very hard on their systems. I think it would be okay to keep treating them with the Sulmet until you get some Corid-but may want to make sure or if there is a waiting period. Corid active ingredient is: Amprolium. I have seen generics for sale online. Good luck and I will stay tuned in to see what happens.

 

[chicknadventure]

It sounds like the bacteria is somewhere and hasnt been wiped out yet. I am not an expert but it sounds like everything is at risk. If you have anuthing in the bator it might be too late for them too. I think you may need to cull the entire hatching program and bleach every single thing including the room you hatch in and the area that you keep your brooder box.

And i would stop buying eggs from wherever you are getting them and try a new source. Dont buy any nrw eggs until you figure this out. I am so sorry about all your losses.

 

[tellynpeep]

Take a fecal sample to your vet; even if they know nothing about birds, they should be able to run a fecal and see if you have coccidia. Good luck!

 

[StandardLover]

Yeah it sounds like coccidiosis. Even if you see only a couple birds looking miserable, you have to treat your whole flock because they probably have some of the cocci too. Are your cages possibly crowded, wet, or are the waterers sometimes filled with poop?