Sick six week old chick

Would love some advice here. I've had an 'off' looking and now sick looking chick for about 5 days now. It is 6 weeks old in a flock of 10 others. They have been on medicated starter from the beginning but I know coccidiosis can still occur.......

Also, they have yet to go outside. Litter is clean and dry.

Any suggestions at this stage? Everyone else looks good.

Hunched, fluffy, eyes half closed, wings down a bit? Even without bloody poo you can have a variety of cocci. I would treat for it.

What are the symptoms Chickory? I would agree that most likely could be cocci, even on medicated feed they can still get overwhelmed, a boost of extra Amprol would be the best if you had it on hand.

Are there any respiratory symptoms? Definately check for those darn mites, those can cause them to be off looking as well. Anything it could have eaten that it shouldnt have?

Coop - I forgot to mention, its poop isn't bloody and didn't realize it could still be cocci. Yes, to all the other symptoms.

Would you treat the water for all then and keep them on medicated starter at the same time? I do have Amproline or Amprolium (can't remember exactly how to say it) on hand.

Hidden,

Didn't think of the mites Hidden, good call.

I have mine on the sulphur drugs and the medicated feed. Seems to have worked for everyone but one still not looking great, but still alive.

Hidden River wrote:What are the symptoms Chickory? I would agree that most likely could be cocci, even on medicated feed they can still get overwhelmed, a boost of extra Amprol would be the best if you had it on hand.

Are there any respiratory symptoms? Definately check for those darn mites, those can cause them to be off looking as well. Anything it could have eaten that it shouldnt have?

Did a quick check for mites but will do more thorough. I treated the coop for the 4th time before they went in two weeks ago and all other birds are mite free......knock on wood.

No respiratory symptoms. And no to having access to any food they shouldn't have - just starter and hard boiled, pureed egg (shell off).

I have the sulfa and the Ampro. Which one and treat all (sorry for the repeat)? The medicated starter won't be counter productive (work against the Ampro or Sulfa)?

Not positive about your questions, I look forward to someone else's answers.

I feed medicated feed and Amprol no problems. I have also used Sulpha drugs and medicated feed in the past, my person preference on the two drugs is definately Amprol. I find the Sulpha seems to take a bit more to kick in and the poor chicks just look miserable longer. I would do the Amprol first and if no improvement in a couple days then switch to the sulpha one.
I think with cocci you can get sick birds before you see the blood, once there is blood it is more serious, but I have brought them out of it before and not had huge impact on their growth afterwards.

Thanks so much you two. Away I go to give them the Amprol.

Is amprolium in the feed not the same as the amprol oral?

It is the same fuzzy but I find sometimes the low level concentration is not enough if there is an outbreak. So basically you are just bumping them up for a week to get them over it. Also I think it settles out in the feed, the pellets break down and not all consumed so certain chicks may not be getting the theraputic dose they need so they are more subject to an infection than the others.
Even on the liquid amprol there are two dosages, one for an outbreak treatment and one for just theraputic dosages.

Ah good to know! I have to say this sure has been a crazy year for people with all the various outbreaks of poultry issues. Wether it be mites, cocci, bacterial or viral infections. I blame it on the weather!

Well I got called into work tonight so I might scan our purchasing catalogs and place an order to stock my poultry 1st aid kit. As its been said if you need it you need it fast!

Just so there is no misunderstanding, medicated feed will not treat Cocci. It says so on the label of medicated feed. I agree with coopslave that it looks like cocci and that is the age where they are very vulnerable. I have found that Amprol works best and quickest. Good luck.

Ah no. Don't tell me it is one of the chicks that I was looking after for you, sigh....Coopslave had an outbreak of what we think is coccidiosis too, with the chicks that I had looked after. This is sickening. When did this chick first start to show symptoms? I wonder if it came from my place and only manifest when it got to yours and Coopslave. Probably gonna get some eyebrows raised about this one and people may think badly of me, but that is OK, me that big girl with big pants and I can take it.

I kept three of the mottled javas that Coopslave so graciously (and thanks again Chicory for that beautiful bottle of very nice red wine for your appreciation of my care) allowed me to keep, as appreciation of looking after the chicks.

Those three chicks have moved into the pen that the buckeyes share with older chicks. And they are healthy as can be. But am wondering about things. Maybe they got cocci and recovered from it and I didn't know.

Can you put a time frame here? Do you think that the babies contracted the coccidiosis at my place and it manifest at your place? I am very upset about this and wonder if they got it here.

I know coccidiosis is rampant this year in some places. Certainly due to the unusually wet situations many of us have had. Me including. But I haven't seen any fluffed or sicked out little birds to indicate that I have this present in any of my yards. Hope I don't.

I think it is worthy finding out how long chicks would have contracted the ugly cocci before symptoms, such as you both are experiencing manifest. Investigation now on this is required. Anyone got some extra time to look into it? I might, but can't decipher when.

I don't think it came from my place, but honestly, it might have come from my place. The freakin' oocysts are everywhere on earth, especially when it is warm and moist, like chickenyards when rainy weather is present. Speak out. Would love to get to the bottom of this...with that, do try to have a wonderful day, CynthiaM.

by the way, amprolium is much easier to use, from what I have read, as opposed to the sulfa drug. Sulfa drug requires days on, days off, day back on, days off and then 1 day back on. Amprol is I think three days straight, much more efficient. Reminds me, I should order some from the vet. Just to have on hand, cause hey, ya never know

Here is a nice write up Skeffling did.
http://skeffling.hubpages.com/hub/Coccidiosis-in-Chickens-amprolium-amprol-sulmet-Sulfamethazine-corid-cocci

CynthiaM wrote:Ah no. Don't tell me it is one of the chicks that I was looking after for you, sigh....Coopslave had an outbreak of what we think is coccidiosis too, with the chicks that I had looked after. This is sickening. When did this chick first start to show symptoms? I wonder if it came from my place and only manifest when it got to yours and Coopslave. Probably gonna get some eyebrows raised about this one and people may think badly of me, but that is OK, me that big girl with big pants and I can take it.

I kept three of the mottled javas that Coopslave so graciously (and thanks again Chicory for that beautiful bottle of very nice red wine for your appreciation of my care) allowed me to keep, as appreciation of looking after the chicks.

Those three chicks have moved into the pen that the buckeyes share with older chicks. And they are healthy as can be. But am wondering about things. Maybe they got cocci and recovered from it and I didn't know.

Can you put a time frame here? Do you think that the babies contracted the coccidiosis at my place and it manifest at your place? I am very upset about this and wonder if they got it here.

I know coccidiosis is rampant this year in some places. Certainly due to the unusually wet situations many of us have had. Me including. But I haven't seen any fluffed or sicked out little birds to indicate that I have this present in any of my yards. Hope I don't.

I think it is worthy finding out how long chicks would have contracted the ugly cocci before symptoms, such as you both are experiencing manifest. Investigation now on this is required. Anyone got some extra time to look into it? I might, but can't decipher when.

I don't think it came from my place, but honestly, it might have come from my place. The freakin' oocysts are everywhere on earth, especially when it is warm and moist, like chickenyards when rainy weather is present. Speak out. Would love to get to the bottom of this...with that, do try to have a wonderful day, CynthiaM.

by the way, amprolium is much easier to use, from what I have read, as opposed to the sulfa drug. Sulfa drug requires days on, days off, day back on, days off and then 1 day back on. Amprol is I think three days straight, much more efficient. Reminds me, I should order some from the vet. Just to have on hand, cause hey, ya never know

Oh Cindi, don't you worry your pretty heart. I would have you look after my birds anytime and I'm not concerned about the why's or how's. The coccidiosis protozoa exists in all chicken poop I understand. Perhaps it was the stress of transporting them that triggered an overgrowth of it. I brought them home on the 8th of June and my one chick started showing signs two weeks later. They went into a very clean, dry coop and have not been outside yet, so who knows. No one else is showing signs and hopefully my other group of chicks won't become infected. I'm wearing separate footwear in the one coop to try to not spread it.

It seems there are so many things that chickens are susceptible to. I am not assuming anything as to how they got it and I don't care. I'd rather have this than those $%*# mites. All is well and I am so grateful to you for helping me out.

They're on the Amprol and hopefully that one will pull through.

Keep smiling that big smile and thanks everyone for your thoughts and contributions.

CynthiaM, I don't think it is something they came with, I think it is something I have here. Obviously my home raise chicks develop a resistance to whatever strain of cocci it is. I try to get them onto the ground as quick as possible which goes against popular opinion. I haven't had any trouble with home hatched or day olds I brought in. I think yours came from such a clean environment (because your care is so good ) and then had to deal with whatever cocci I happen to have here. They were just at the tough age I think and it caught me off guard as I had had no trouble in 3 years. The super wet year hasn't helped either.
So no worries or concerns on your part. I, like Chicory, appreciate the great care you gave them while at your place.

And another thing Cindi, who knows if coccidiosis is what this chick even has? I'm just treating it for that because I don't know what else it could be.

It's all good.

Cindi
Thanks a ton for fostering the chicks you are a jewel my dear and saved my dear hubby from tipping over the edge. Chickory and coopslave pictures please, when possible. Coopslave very wise to leave a trio with Cynthia, as they will be well cared for and safe.

Heather

I'm happy to post those picks in the next week or so.

Phew, I have been relieved of a very strong horror of something wicked your ways came because of cocci here, which isn't in outbreak manifest though. Of course, it is, we all know it rears its ugly head everywhere, is present everywhere, but I thought it was all my fault. Nice to hear, and you all three are welcome, Chicory, Coopslave and lastly Heather. It was a total surprise to have this happen so quickly and I was so happy to have had the room to get these and grow them on. Good luck, Chicory Farm, the babies will be alright in the end, hopefully you won't lose any, as Coopslave did though, sigh. I have some really nice pictures of them as day olds here, long before they went to their great new homes. Photobucket has been acting up for me though, for quite some time, blah!! Beautiful days to us all, CynthiaM.

Right, forgot, Heather, didn't leave a trio here, well, did, but a trio of pullets. I just don't have room for another breeding group, but the gals are here, for the just in case day, smiling, and eye candy too, they shore are purdy!!