Unsecure chicken perches

[Duncan08]

I lost one of my new Pekin girls yesterday, they were sold to me at 8 weeks, and one of the others isnt looking too happy.

 

We had only had them a few days, I had set them up with a brand new run, they were totally separate from the other girls, with brand new bedding food and feeders and drinkers, so I am pretty confident they didnt pick anything up at home.

 

After a lot of research I believe that she had developed Coccidiosis brought on by the stress of moving home. I have contacted the breeder who advises me that they were being fed the medicated crumb, but they may have developed it as the crumb was changed, and they swapped to regular growers with me, I am presuming they had it, but it was being kept at bay with the medicated crumb.

 

With hindsight, I should have asked for some of the food. I always do it for dogs, it just didn't occur to me to do it for the chicks.

 

Second tip, I rang what felt like 300 vets yesterday to get some Coxiod, we dont have a chicken vet nearby but couldn't get any anywhere so have had to order it on-line and hope the other poorly looking girl manages on her own until then. But after finding out after the research how common it actually is, would recommend having some in if you are getting some youngsters.

 

Shes on Lifeguard and probiotic yoghurt at the moment to try and keep her going, just hope the Coxoid arrives today.

 

Its such a horrible feeling and leaves you feeling so helpless, especially when they are so tiny. I didn't want to stress her too much with additional handling, but you just want to give them a cuddle dont you and stroke it all away.

 

On a positive note the other two are thriving, just keeping a close eye on them, and I have found a chicken specialist vet, who is unfortunately 45 minutes away, but you can't have everything. And my chicken keeping experience continues to grow.

[sadietoo]

Hi Duncan 08. I am so sorry to hear your news. I think I lost my little Mabel to Cocci although she was eight months old at the time fortunately no one else seems to have contracted it, but I understand that if it is Cocci, you will need to use some sort of special cleaning stuff in your coop as they can pass it to one another through their droppings... I do hope your other little one improves soon.x

[Redwing]

I'm so sorry to hear that

 

The asking for some food is a good idea, some breeders will send youngsters on their way with some food as moving home is such a big change its best if the food isnt changed too but even if they dont offer some food ask for some - a good breeder will never refuse a reasonable request like that

 

Cocci is horrible and you are right it can be bought on by a move - I hope your little one makes it

[LottyJ1]

So sorry about your chicks - i recently thought my ex-batts my have it after loosing two close together. I did a faeces test as supplied by the chicken vet which came back as negative but I was very worried for a while.

[Duncan08]

Thank you for your support everyone, it really is appreciated.

 

Sadietoo, I have ordered some specialist cleaner aswell to give the run and coop a good clean, it should arrive with the Coxoid.

[mimi5]

So sorry to hear of your loss. It's so difficult when despite your best afforts they don't make it.

 

I have pekins and in my 9 months of experience of them is that they are sesitive and being small can quickly sucumb to something and be overwhelmed by it. I am beginning to get a feel when when they are of colour.

 

I have lost 2 hens so far, both to different conditions and despite mine and my vets best efforts! I currently have chicks to try and cheer myself up and replace my lost girls! I thought hatching and growing my own pekins would make intergration less stressful. But even that hasn't been stress free!! Long story, but the chicks displayed symptoms (blood in poo) and I had thankfully got some coxoid in "just in case"!! I like you would reccomend keeping a bottle in as it is difficult to get and of course mail order takes time! Also let all the others have the same water, that's what I did and even their mum! The other piece of helpful advice from another omleteer was to give weeks worth of probiotics after you finish the coxoid.

 

I've also been told acv is very good for their gut.

 

Hope your little one is ok. Best wishes.

 

You may be able to get baycox from your vet. But not sure about it for chicks. If you have found a poultry vet WELL DONE! My vets are very helpful, but usually just guessing and doing their best

[Duncan08]

It hasnt arrived

I have just found a Tylosin water soluble sachet.

I know the cocci is a parasite infection but anyone know if it is worth trying some Tylosin in her water?

Don't want to overload her but thinking it might help her fight it a little.

 

Any thoughts please?

Thanks

[Redwing]

If the sachet is enough to treat 5 days worth of water then its possibly worth a try (the course must be 5-7 days to work) but when the Coxoid arrives it would be inadvisable to use two mediactions at once

 

I'd hold out for the Coxoid personally but maybe give some tonic or Avipro in the meantime if you have some

[Duncan08]

Thanks Redwing.

I agree with yo really,there is enough for 5 -7 days for a little one, but don't want to give her too much and she needs the coxoid most, just feel like I should be doing something right now.

She has some lifeguard. And a couple of drops of citridal for now.

Fingers crossed.

[kittyl]

Just a thought Duncan, if (horror) it doesnt turn up in the morning, perhaps if you tell us what area you

live someone from here may be help out and lend you some. I'm sure plenty of folk on this forum (including

me) have some in the cupboard!

[Duncan08]

Thanks for that suggestion.

I live on the Wirral, Northwest, not far from Liverpool city centre.

Haven't noticed anyone on here before that's local but would be made up to.

[Luvachicken]

Awwww, sorry that you lost one of your babies. I hope your other little ones will get well soon.

I don't know much about the coccidiosis but it sounds quite serious.

I hope things get sorted and the stuff quickly arrives in the post for you.

[mimi5]

Morning Duncan,

 

Any news on your little pekin?? Hope your coxoid arrives, I beleive it works very quickly once it gets in to their system.

 

Best wishes

[Duncan08]

Thanks Mimi, she is still with us.

I have given her bum a little wash this morning to try and keep her comfortable and had to come to work leaving her tucked up with my husband inside his dressing gown to dry off.

 

The other two are still showing no signs, but they are all getting a dose when it gets here.

 

Have everything crossed at the moment.

[Redwing]

Can you not get to a vet for A treatment? How about argricultural merchants? I have at least five stores within striking distance that sell it. or maybe the breeder could help they are bound to have some, you'd literally only need 20ml or so. Coxoid really isn't the sort of thing to be bought mail order unless you are buying it in as a 'just in case' item

 

Having said all that are you sure it's cocci? It normally has a much swifter effect

[Duncan08]

Hi Redwing, we just don't seem to have many chicken savvy vets in the area. One vet (a farm vet rather than a pet vet) did look for an alternative that he has for cows??? But didn't have any in stock.

I go to an agricultural merchant for my other chicken supplies but they don't do "medications" only tonics.

The breeder wasn't particularly helpful, I have just found another chicken keeper not too far away from me who I will keep in touch with, she complains of similar problems. And I have found out my second cousin who is a farmer, breeds pheasants, so I am building up some contacts for the future in case of emergencies.

 

The chick that died went downhill very quickly, she showed signs of being a little under the weather on Sunday, but tbh with the cold weather all the girls had been looking miserable, I brought all the chicks indoors together and kept them in our old indoor rabbit house, the others perked up in the warm whilst she remained a little sleepy and puffed up, she started gaping, which created a panic, never felt so helpless, but this only lasted about 20 minutes and then she seemed fine, she was still eating and drinking, but spent longer sleeping than the others, Monday she looked OK but again was less active than the others so I gave them some lifeguard in case she was stressed out by the move, Tuesday I spotted the bloody poops, but by Tuesday afternoon she seemed much better, she lasted the night and got up on Wednesday morning OK, my dad found her a couple of hours later.

The other chick that is poorly is a considerably larger chick so perhaps is a little stronger and is coping better.

 

The Coxoid has arrived and been given to all three of them. So hopefully they will all be OK now. Keeping fingers crossed.

 

A question though - the Cocci sanitiser has arrived, I will clear out the coop tonight and give it a good scrub, but the parasites will still be being pooped out. Do I empty out and scrub every night until the treatment has ended to stop them being reinfected, what is the best way to manage this?

Thanks

[Redwing]

Thats good news

 

What housing are they in? If its wood I would empty it out and replace bedding every day for the next few days

 

If the house is wood and the sanitiser is liquid I am not sure I would use it until there is a nice dry day unless you can remove the chicks to a separate area, damp is one of the biggest problems when it comes to cocci

 

If the house is plastic then I would scrub now and replace bedding then change the bedding each day using a damp sanitised cloth to wipe the plastic and a dry cloth to follow before replacing the bedding

 

The layer of bedding neednt be thick or youll waste loads

[Duncan08]

OK, Coop and Run are combined and wooden. Sanitiser is liquid. But I do have a couple of alternatives.

 

I have an indoor rabbit hutch which is a plastic tray base with cage top, no shelter though. As the weather is so lousy and cold presumably it would OK to bring the three of them indoors together whilst I treat them all with the Coxoid, it is really easy to clean and dry on a daily basis.

 

I also have a spare Go, but they would be swamped in there and I would be worried about them keeping warm enough.

 

In the meantime will empty out the wooden house and wait for a dry day to sanitise it all - hopefully we will get one in the next week or so.

 

Thanks again for all your help - it really is appreciated.

[Redwing]

If you are able to then bringing them inside would be the best bet, not having to try to keep warm in this gusty rainy weather means they can direct more energy in to getting fully well again

[kittyl]

I found my vet by searching for avian ones try this

 

http://www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/veterinary-advice/avian-vets/avian-vets-in-merseyside

 

also when my orpy needed an operation I was refered to an exotics vet. There's one here sort

of in you region http://www.tvhc.co.uk/

another sounds hopeful http://www.any-uk-vet.co.uk/little-market-st/index.htm

 

they dont actually say chickens, but hey, parrotts..chickens.. whats the difference?

I hope that's helpful.

[markAndCharlene]

Hope your little one is OK. The current weather a breeding ground for Coccidiosis, they love it warm and damp. Baycox from the vet is also a good alternative. Its a 2day on, 5 day off, 2 day on treatment and is a bit kinder to the chicks by all accounts than coxoid (coxoid is actually a poison as i understand it, and not only poisons the parasite, but also the chicks to a certain degree).

 

Once the coccidiosis parasite starts eating the intenstines/guts, its highly unlikely that the bird recovers, they would look listless and unable to eat. Its a horrible disease, we recently lost half a dozen 3 week olds to it.

[Duncan08]

Mark and Charleene -That must have been dreadful, its been bad enough losing one

 

The other chick is seeming (fingers crossed) to be making progress. The poop is now clear of blood, and she seems to be more lively more often than she was. She does still give me frights, when they do that chick immediate sleep thing that they do, and she is still sleeping longer than the others. I have been washing her bum every day, but that seems to be getting better and after washing her bum this morning it was still clear and fluffy tonight before she went to bed, a big improvement.

 

 

Poorly (but looking better) chick on the right.

 

So on to the next dilemma, chick on the left, can you guess?

I will post separately

[Redwing]

Coxoid isnt bad for chicks but it is rough on their digestive system. A good tonic or some probiotic powder added to the water after the course of Coxoid is beneficial

[Duncan08]

Just to let anyone know.

 

The chicks have now finished their Coxoid treatment and the poorly chick has survived it all. With the lousy weather they are still living indoors in the old rabbit housing which has been a godsend.

Its portable so I can take them out for the odd five minutes when the sun shines and bring them back in for the rest of the time it rains!

Today we cleaned and santised everything in sight, (we have been doing it each day but with a vengance today) Including the chicks, they have all had a good bath.

 

Two girls are doing great. Poorly chick still sleeps a little more than the others, but is catching up and is still holding her own. Only underlying problem remains to be her poops which are still a little loose and I am cleaning her everyday and giving her a little sudocreme as the poops are not clearing her vent cleanly. As her gut will have taken a beating it is to be expected and it is definitely improving each day.

 

Big thanks to everyone, couldn't have done it without you all

[chestnutmare]

I'm so glad the poorly chick survived. I'm already Googling coxoid...