Dead Silkie Chick

[Suechooks]

I wasn't having a go at you Sue!! I appreciate not everyone has a lot of space for their chickens, I was merely pointing out that "trickle exposure" to coccidia can be done without medication by allowing young birds access to grass/outside space from a very early age.

And I vaccinate kids and other animals too.

I wasn't taking it personally but I felt that both sides of the coin should be available. A lot of people don't like unnecessary additives in feed but in this instance I feel that unless you can guarantee cocci free area then its a sensible precaution hence I do it. You and Petal don't feel the need in your set-ups so that's ok too.
I don't do repeat vaccinations on dogs after they've had the initial course plus one booster as IMO they will build up continuing immunity by exposure and after lengthy discussion with my vet he agrees that there is no data about the necessity for automatic repeat boosters. So I'm applying the same principle to chicks.
Finished now!

[petal]

RH is right but ... we have 8 chicks in the barn in a pen that were rejected by their mother before xmas- (why did she disapear to have them then the silly silkie?! ) and we did have 9 except one died and I pm'd it- deffo cocci so have dosed rest with coxoid from the farm shop and they are jumping around again! Never, ever had that with broody raised chicks but then again i have been busy recently and perhaps their pen could be cleaner....

[RichmondHens]

My guess is that if they were with the broody then they would have been outside and therefore getting the trickle exposure required. It is difficult to get chicks outside if they are under a heat lamp, the logistics are a nightmare, and in mid winter doubly so. Don't beat yourself up about it.

[julesapple]

We've lost three chicks now.

Just got home this afternoon and DD says she's lost three. I hadn't met these chicks myself as they were up in her attic studio (under the heatlamp after hatching, and being weaned off it) DD says she didn't think they were the most robust chicks she's ever met, but she had put that down to not ever having had Silkies before, but I guess it's possible that they were ill from the start and we didn't realise that it was cocci building up.

Jules

[petal]

Theres a chance that now you are using coxoid the others will survive- silkies can be somewhat more delicate than other breeds- they will need the heat lamp for a while longer too therefore!
Thanks RH- i won't lose any sleep over it, as it was they are lucky to be alive!