Coccidiosis in chicken
Coccidiosis in chicken

What is coccidiosis?

Coccidiosis is a disease of poultry and many -other animals caused by an internal
parasite.

Is it at all likely that day old chicks may have coccidiosis at the time of purchase?

No

May coccidiosis be transmitted through the egg ?

No

At what age does coccidiosis affect chicks?

Coccidiosis affects chicks of any age up to three or four months, and occasionally even adult

Why is it not common to find chicks only one or two weeks old sick with coccidiosis ?

In the first place it takes 4 or 5 days after the organism is engulfed before
symptoms are noticeable. The house is usually clean when the chicks are put in
it and the caretaker is usually careful about sanitation until the chicks are
three or four weeks old; after which time he is likelyto become careless.

Are all coccidiosis cases about alike?

No. There are, in general, two classes of cases.

What are these two classes?

Acute coccidiosis and chronic coccidiosis.

How long will it be after they eat the parasite before bloody droppings appear?

Four or five days.

How long after they eat the parasite will it be before death losses start ?

Four to six days, depending on the number of parasites eaten .

What measures should be used to control an outbreak of acute cocciciosis?

Thoroughly clean the houses and all the equipment in them. This means the removal of litter and sweeping out of small particles of matter that cannot be gathered up with a scoop. The drinking fountains and feeding troughs should be removed and washed. If there are wire covered platforms, they should be removed and washed. The house must be cleaned each day for seven days and every other day for one week; after which time, the house should be cleaned once or twice a week depending on the number of birds in the house. The equipment in
the house should be washed twice a week for two weeks. All brooding conditions should be as nearly ideal as possible.

Have other methods been recommended?

Yes. One generally known as the starving method. The birds are kept off of feed two hours each day, preferably from about noon until two P.M. This method has not been endorsed by pathologists but a number of practical poultry-men have reported good success.

How does it get into the houses ?

It may be carried in on the shoes of the caretaker or visitors, or by the wind.

During an outbreak of coccidiosis should any medicine be given?

Yes. consult with your vet to administer cocciostat or Amprolium

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