What is coccidiosis?
Coccidiosis is an intestinal infection caused by a protozoa. The variety that most often causes infection in chickens are in the genus Eimeria. These protozoa are prevalent in soil, in the droppings of other animals, and affect a wide variety of species.
Chicken keepers often abbreviate the infection, and call it cocci.
Coccidia are everywhere. Chickens invariably are exposed to the cocci-causing organism due to its prevalence. The issue is that when the birds are stressed, or exposed too quickly for the first time, you may see symptoms of a coccidiosis infection. An otherwise healthy bird’s immune system can usually handle coccidia on its own. When it can’t, we step in and treat.
The symptoms of cocci can be frightening to see for the first time, and severe infections can be life threatening. The key is catching it early and following through with treatment and a good coop cleaning.
What are the symptoms of cocci in chickens?
The most common symptom is bloody diarrhea.
In my personal experience, I have found that slightly yellow diarrhea that is too frequent to merely be cecal droppings can also be indicative of cocci.
Be mindful of the texture, however. Yellow droppings that contains a lot of bubbles or appears frothy can be a sign of worms or other intestinal parasites in chickens.
I have also had fully formed, but bloody, stool be indicative of cocci.
Another common symptom is what we often refer to as the cocci stance.
A bird may stand somewhat hunched up, and possibly fluffed up. This position happens frequently when a bird does not feel well, so coccidiosis is not the only possibility, but it is a very common issue.
If you notice any changes in the behavior or posture of your birds, it’s definitely time to start looking for other symptoms.
Are they eating and drinking normally?
Are they isolating themselves from the rest of the flock?
Do they have any difficulty moving?
And of course, check their droppings. If there is an abundance of diarrhea or bloody stool, I typically start treating for coccidiosis.
Please be aware that I am not a veterinarian and offer this blog as a summary of my experience and techniques. For an actual diagnosis of coccidiosis in your flock or veterinary advice, please seek out a veterinary professional to run a fecal and offer treatment options.
If ever I am not reasonably convinced that my chickens have cocci but are exhibiting suspicious stools, I do bring a fecal sample to my vet to see if any additional treatment is necessary.
How I treat coccidiosis
Presuming the chickens are positive for cocci, I begin treatment for the whole flock. If one has it, chances are that they have all been exposed but some may not be experiencing symptoms.
I treat by adding Corid to my flock’s water. During treatment, this must be their only water source.
I use the liquid form of 9.6% oral solution of amprolium. There is a powder form, but this requires different measurements.
I put 5ml (approximately 1 teaspoon) per gallon of water.
I use an oral medication syringe to measure out the Corid. These that I purchased on Amazon come with a cover so the medication doesn’t leak while I get to the chicken’s waterer.
My chickens have a three-gallon waterer, so I measure out a total of 15 ml when I am treating the main flock. I have about 40 birds in general population right now, so they go through about this much water each day.
I typically treat for 5-7 days.
If the infection is more severe, I keep them on Corid for 7 days. I may even increase the dosage to 7ml/gal. However, amprolium can be hard on your birds so I do this sparingly.
Once measured, I squeeze the syringe into the waterer as I pour the water in so the medication can get mixed into the water.
The science of amprolium and Corid after care.
Amprolium works by stopping the absorption of thiamine, which the protozoa that cause coccidiosis needs in order to thrive and reproduce.
The thing is, your chickens need it, too.
This is why I do not recommend prophylactic use of Corid, or treatment for longer than is necessary. Doing so could potentially cause thiamine deficiency in your birds.
In order to prevent any kind of vitamin deficiency, I always end my cocci treatment by switching the flock to a supplement for a couple of days.
These are the two supplements I keep in my toolkit. Only use one at a time. There are plenty of poultry supplements on the market. Whichever you use, just make sure that it contains thiamine.
Special note: do not treat with Corid/amprolium and use a supplement at the same time. They will essentially cancel each other out, and your birds will not have the benefit of the medication to help them overcome the coccidiosis infection.
Follow up.
Make sure to clean your coop during an active coccidia outbreak. Coccidia is prevalent in the soil, but reducing your birds’ exposure can help them recover.
Keep an eye on your birds. If they are still displaying symptoms, it may be that they were not caused by cocci, and you need to have your vet run a fecal in order to determine what kind of parasite they have.
Coccidiosis can be frightening to first time chicken owners. I know I was mortified when I first saw bloody poops in my coop. Corid, however, has always been an effective treatment, and so I always have some on hand. I find that I usually have to treat my grow outs just after they start laying. As their bodies mature, I think it stresses them just enough for the infection to take hold. Moving coops can also cause stress that can trigger an active infection.
Amprolium is approved by the FDA for use in laying hens so there is no egg withdrawal time. There is, however a 24-hour withdrawal period for processing for meat birds.