Baby Basics - Raising Poultry - page 80

Intruders and Illness
At four to eight weeks of age, young fowl are still quite vulnerable. It's crucial that you
keep an eye out for the onset of disease and signs of a predatory presence. Your young
flock cannot repel attacking foxes, owls, hawks, or other intruders. You must keep con-
stant watch over your poultry or provide some sort of protection against these creatures.
See chapter 26 , Dealing with Predators, for more information about avoiding and ex-
cluding predators.
Coccidiosis
If coccidiosis is going to hit your birds it will attack them when they are between four
and six weeks old. Some breeds are more susceptible to coccidiosis than others. Usu-
ally first-time chicken raisers will not have much of a problem, as the protozoa tend to
build up an unhealthy population in an environment where multiple flocks are raised
year after year. Eventually, however, it will show up. You will notice a quick onset of the
bloody stools on the ground. The stools look like large blood clots. When this happens,
you need to immediately treat the young flock or prepare yourself for the loss of many
birds.
Determine which treatment method works best for you in your system. The best treat-
ment involves adding the coccidiostat Amprolium to the water for several days. Altern-
atively, natural probiotics, raw milk, and yogurt can be suitable substitutes for those who
do not wish to use antibiotics or medications. Raw milk can be challenging to find in
some areas, but yogurt with active bacteria cultures is readily available. The keys to the
use of antibiotic alternatives are attentiveness and starting the regimen at the earliest
signs of blood in the stools. To feed the dairy products, mix the dairy with the mash and
make a wet mash with the consistency of cookie dough.
VACCINATIONS
It's never a good idea to start a vaccination program unless you have to. Some specif-
ic diseases are common in certain areas of the country, and you may have to vaccinate
there, but as a general rule of thumb, you'll have minimal problems if you start fresh
with day-olds and never bring older birds onto the premises.
More information about vaccination programs can be found in chapter 25 , Flock
Health.
You must be on constant watch when dealing with this condition, regardless of the
method of treatment. Once you get through the episode of illness, any remaining birds