Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
source, I always look for a little drop of blood. If I find one, I know that's the time to
introduce medication into the water.
Treatment
Although medicated feeds can control coccidiosis, these anticoccidial products seem to
have lost their effectiveness over the past few years, probably because of overuse, sci-
entists believe. Numerous studies have proven that long-term exposure to a particular
medication eventually causes stronger drug-resistant creatures to develop. These organ-
isms tolerate the medication and render it ineffective. When coccidiostat medications are
used too frequently, coccidial organisms become resistant to the drugs and thus better
able to survive low-level treatment. Antibiotics do not work against coccidiosis because
the disease is not caused by bacteria.
Whether to keep your chickens on medicated feed throughout their lives or to treat
them with a stronger dose of medication for shorter periods of time once you see a prob-
lem is a matter of choice. I am not one for keeping my birds on medicated feed all their
lives because I don't think it helps. The protozoa develop a natural resistance to the med-
ication with continuous use, requiring more and more, and stronger and stronger, drugs
to kill the organism.
Several medications work, but the coccidiostat that is most effective is called Corid,
which has the active ingredient Amprolium. Withdrawal from the medicine — the time
required to pass since the last treatment before you can butcher the birds or sell their
eggs — is easily achieved in most cases.
Once the disease breaks out, my typical course of action involves quickly treating the
chicks for a couple of days with the medication. I immediately clean all the litter out and
put a layer of dry agricultural lime directly onto the floor. I add the new litter to the lime.
In a very short period of time after these precautions, I find I have very few difficulties.
Maintenance
The best way to keep coccidiosis out of your flock is to make sure you keep the litter as
dry as possible and continuously clean the waterers. If you can stick your finger in the
waterer and feel slimy scum developing, you are asking for coccidiosis to develop. I try
to bleach out my waterers two to three times per week, depending upon the season and
the moisture level. The protozoan that eventually gets in and causes the disease thrives
when it's wet and humid outside. In dryer climates you may need to use bleach only
twice a week, more often in moist, humid, sticky weather.
I also bleach out the whole facility between batches of birds to help keep the condi-
tion from perpetuating. Refer to
chapter 2
, Housing and Supplies, for best drinker and
