Coccidiosis in Chickens: Identify, Treat, & Prevent

Raising chickens can be a rewarding and fulfilling endeavor, whether you have a small backyard flock or a large commercial operation. However, it’s important for poultry keepers to be aware of the various diseases that can affect chickens.

From common respiratory infections to parasitic infestations and viral outbreaks, diseases can have a significant impact on the health and well-being of our chickens. Understanding the basics of chicken diseases, their symptoms, treatments, and options for prevention measures is essential for maintaining a happy and disease-free flock. By being vigilant and proactive in implementing good biosecurity practices, regularly monitoring for health issues, and prompt at home or veterinary care, chicken owners can help keep their chickens safe, healthy, and happy.  

One disease in particular, Coccidiosis, is rather common and can often lead to a failure to thrive and mortality in chickens if not treated.     

Please Note: I am not a veterinarian. The information in this post is based on years of experience, tons of research, and information given to me directly by avian veterinarians that I know.

What is Coccidiosis

Coccidiosis is a common parasitic disease caused by microscopic single-celled organisms called coccidia. They are a type of intestinal parasites that can infect chickens as well as other poultry and species of animals. When chickens are infected with coccidia, the parasites release sporozoites which rapidly multiply in the cells that line the intestine leading to damage occurring to the intestinal walls. Coccidia infections can cause intestinal damage, inflammation, and other gastrointestinal issues. Coccidiosis can range from mild with minimal health issues occurring, to severe infections that can be potentially life-threatening if left untreated. Younger chickens, around ages 0 – 6 weeks of age are at a higher risk for more severe cases and a higher mortality rate.

Identifying Coccidiosis – Symptoms & Diagnosis

Coccidiosis in chickens can exhibit various symptoms that can vary from mild to severe depending on the stage of infection, the strain of coccidia, as well as pre-existing conditions. Many of these symptoms are a result of dehydration and malabsorption of nutrients caused by the parasites which can lead to  many of the symptoms discussed below.  Some common symptoms of coccidiosis include:

1. Diarrhea & Blood in Droppings: Diarrhea is a common symptom of coccidiosis, even more so in severe cases. The disease may also cause there to be blood present in the affected chickens droppings (both solid and watery). It’s important to note that your chickens may have blood in their stool for other reasons as well (such as from straining on a large egg etc). 
2. Pale Combs & Wattles: Chickens affected with Coccidiosis may have paler combs and wattles – a common side affect of many diseases and illnesses in chickens. 
3. Ruffled feathers: Chickens with coccidiosis may have rough, unkempt feathers, as their overall health and condition are impacted by the infection.
4. Reduced appetite: Chickens with coccidiosis may exhibit a decrease in appetite or reluctance to eat, leading to decreased food intake.
5. Weight loss: One of the results of reduced appetite is weight loss in chickens; however, this also happens in affected chickens due to the damage to the intestinal lining by the Coccidia parasites, which affects nutrient absorption. This results in poor weight gain or weight loss in chickens.
6. Lethargy: Infected birds may appear weak, or depressed and show reduced activity levels and increased time spent sitting or huddling. You may also notice them making less noise or no noise at all. You may also notice them holding themselves in a hunched-over position with their eyes closed for extended periods of time.  
7. Dehydration: Severe coccidiosis can cause dehydration due to the loss of fluids through diarrhea. Affected birds may appear weak, with sunken eyes and pale combs.
8. Poor/stunted development: In young chicks, coccidiosis can lead to poor growth rates, delayed development, and reduced overall vigor.
9. Decreased or Zero Egg Production: Sick chickens in general will often stop egg production as their bodies become too stressed and are more focused on other bodily functions.
10. Huddling: Sometimes when chickens are sick and not feeling well they will huddle together in groups.

It’s best to keep in mind that a chicken exhibiting some or even all of these symptoms may not necessarily have coccidiosis. Many other diseases and health problems in chickens will have similar symptoms. 

Veterinarian Diagnosis: In order to diagnose coccidiosis in poultry, a trained veterinarian will take fecal samples for examination and other diagnostic tests.

If you suspect your chickens may have coccidiosis or notice any concerning symptoms in your flock, it is best to consult a vet, particularly one that specializes in poultry or avian diseases, for a more accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Most of the time you just need to bring a fecal sample to your vet for them to check for the parasite. Call your vet to see what all they’ll need as they may want you to bring in your chicken so they can check for other diseases/causes.

It’s also fully understandable if someone does not have the ability or resources to bring their chickens to the vet for a checkup. In that case, observe your chickens carefully, do research, perform some basic sick poultry care (seclude, keep comfortable, provide extra electrolytes or protein), consult an online poultry vet group, etc and use your best judgement to decide whether or not you want to provide medical treatment yourself. 

Transmission & Risk Factors

Coccidiosis is primarily transmitted through the ingestion of coccidia oocysts, which are shed in the feces of infected birds. Chickens can become infected by consuming contaminated food, water, or bedding material. The parasites can survive in the environment and can be introduced into a flock through various means, including infected birds, equipment, bedding, or rodents. Risk Factors:

• Age: Younger chickens and chicks are more susceptible to Coccidiosis, especially from weeks 0 – 6. Older chickens usually have some immunity built up which helps protect them from it. 
• Introduction of new chickens to flock: New chickens being introduced to a flock can bring various diseases and parasites with them. As such, it’s important to always isolate new chickens from any current flocks for at least a couple weeks to a month to ensure that the new flock members are not infected with anything. 
• Poor Hygiene and Environmental Factors: Contaminated food, water, bedding sources etc create a huge risk factor for transmitting coccidiosis as well as many other diseases. Maintaining a clean environment and regularly cleaning out waterers etc is key. 
• Overcrowding: Having too many chickens in one area inevitably increases the chances of disease spreading. Ensuring your chickens have adequate room to roam around and a spacious coop will go a long way in helping prevent certain illnesses. 

Other infections or diseases: if members of your flock are already infected with another disease, even if it’s a minor one, it can increase the chances of contracting another disease like Coccidiosis.

Treatment & Medication

It’s important to note that coccidiosis can be a significant health concern in poultry flocks, especially in young or immunocompromised birds. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment, as well as preventive measures, are essential in managing and minimizing the impact of coccidiosis on poultry health and productivity. Consulting with a veterinarian or poultry expert is recommended for proper diagnosis, prevention, and treatment strategies. Once infected, it’s best to separate and separate the infected flock members then provide medication and care. 

Steps for Treatment:

1) Quarantine: Quarantining the infected flock members should be the first step to help prevent the spread of the disease. Get them in a separate, secure area and provide them with fresh food and water.

2) Deep Clean: After separating the chickens that are showing symptoms of sickness, do a thorough cleaning of your chickens’ coop, run, and other areas that they regularly use. This should include but not be limited to feeders, waterers, coop, beddings, toys, perches/swings, etc. 

3) Diagnose: Carefully observe the chicken(s) you quarantined out for a full list of their symptoms. Especially pay mind to any bloody stool which might be a stronger sign that that have coccidiosis. Keep in mind that there are many diseases in chickens that have very similar symptoms. The only way to know 100% if your chicken is infected with coccidiosis is through tests at a vet clinic.  

4) Medicate: If your vet confirmed a coccidiosis infection, or if you have determined that’s what it most likely is yourself, then you may want to choose to medicate your infected chickens. There are various anticoccidial drugs available, including sulfa drugs, ionophores, and synthetic drugs. These medicines are typically administered via drinking water so there’s no need to worry about having to inject your chicken with a needle. The dosage amount and duration will vary depending on the medicine you buy, so make sure to thoroughly read the label on any purchased medication. One common medicine bought to treat coccidiosis is Amprolium which does not require a prescription.

5) Provide Care: Your chicken is now secluded and medicated. Next thing is to continue to provide care to help ensure that your chicken is able to fully recover and shed the disease so that it can eventually be reintroduced to your flock.  Make sure to provide a clean, dry environment with moderate temperatures (don’t let your sick chicken be affected by severe heat or cold).  Try to limit stressors in the environment such as other animals or loud noises. Continue to provide fresh and clean feed and water and administer doses of medication as prescribed/recommended.

Prevention & Control

The best way to prevent your flock from getting Coccidiosis is to practice good biosecurity among other poultry management practices.

Prevention and control of coccidiosis involves maintaining clean and dry housing, practicing proper hygiene, providing constant access to clean water, and avoiding overcrowding. Additionally, anticoccidial medications or vaccines may be used in some cases to prevent or treat coccidiosis.

It’s impossible to protect your chickens from everything, but in general, these practices will help give them the best chance at being safe and healthy. 

• Clean Food: It’s always better to provide your chickens their feed in a secure raised feeder than it is to toss food on the ground. Feed eaten from the ground can introduce bacteria and other bad substances into their bodies. While you definitely can’t prevent a chicken from pecking at the ground since it’s an essential part of their nature, it’s a good idea to not encourage it by tossing food on the ground.
• Clean Water: Waterers should be emptied out and refilled with fresh water when needed.  Depending on the type of waterer you have this could be once a day or maybe every couple days.  At least once a month waterers should be scrubbed clean to get rid of any algae or other bacteria growing.
• Maintain Good Hygiene: Keep your chicken’s coop and run as clean as possible.  Maintaining plenty of airflow and dry conditions also goes a long way in preventing respiratory infections and other diseases which can cause infections like coccidiosis to be much worse. 
• Regular Health Checks: This doesn’t require bringing your entire flock of chickens to the vet like you would you cat or dog. Just making sure you interact with your flock regularly and check for any signs of ailments will go a long way in making sure your chickens are healthy, noticing any signs of disease, and being able to get timely treatment in the case one of your chickens is sick. 
• Avoid Overcrowding: Providing amply room for your chickens to roost and roam will help prevent the spread of disease. 
• Only Buy Chickens from Reputable Sources: Ensuring new members of your flock come from reputable courses will help ensure the newcomers are healthy and have lower chances of being sick or infected.
• Quarantine New Chickens: Any new chickens you receive and are planning to add to an existing flock should be kept in quarantine for at least a couple weeks. That way, in the case they are infected with disease, you can treat them and take care of health issues before introducing them to the rest of your flock and getting them infected as well. Keep in mind, that going from one flock to the other can also spread disease if your shoes or clothing are contaminated. It’s always best to care for your original (hopefully non-diseased) flock before caring for a new (potentially diseased) one. 
• Vaccinate Chicks: If you’re buying your chicks from a hatchery then you might be offered a choice of having them vaccinated against coccidiosis. While it’s not 100% necessary, it is something to consider if you’re worried about your chicks becoming infected.  
• Give Chicks Medicated Starter Feeds: Commercial feeds that are labeled as medicated contain amounts of amprolium which is a drug commonly used to treat and prevent coccidiosis.
• Isolate Sick Chickens: If you have a chicken or chickens displaying symptoms of disease, it’s best to isolate them from the rest of the flock immediately. While it may be too late at this point and whatever disease they have may have already spread, taking precaution, and separating as soon as possible is still a good practice.   

With prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment, along with proper management practices, the mortality rate due to coccidiosis can be significantly reduced. Early detection, implementing preventive measures, and ensuring a clean and hygienic environment are crucial in minimizing the impact of coccidiosis on chicken health.

Overall, maintaining good biosecurity will help keep your chickens healthy and living long lives.

Q&A