Worms / cocci

[CHARLTON34]

Hello Neil, I understand the worm issues that a repeat dose is needed, would it be the case that the medication for Coccidiosis is totally different & a higher strength than the wormer, so 1 dose is sufficient depending on which brand you use.
Regards Dave.

[CHARLTON34]

Neil, Cocci is microscopic protozoan & is Oocysts not visible to the eye, it's not eggs, worms cycle is eggs & can be seen by the eye if a heavy infestation.

[CHARLTON34]

Before I race again. no.
After I race again, probably.
A couple of years ago I took a team of youngsters to the marking for the first race. Oooh, they were good
While waiting to put mine through I had a sneaky peek and saw another bloke's birds standing on cardboard, in watery, bubbly shit.
Why do we even bother?

Exactly my view Murray racing week to week will mean you are coming into contact with problems . Even mild issues unseen to fanciers by there eyes can knock the pigeons off and there be off the pace
I had a member in my club who had birds with soft feather condition nothing I could see wrong but he was behind most weeks I thought it was his pigeons were just not winners
When he went on holiday he asked me to
Feed his birds
I got to the loft to meet him you could smell mice from outside a little but once inside the smell knocked you and the food was in front of them 24/7
He had 7 traps set in unused nest box’s and said could you empty them for me I said how many do you get he said 2 or 3 a day normally
So his birds obviously couldn’t have been right with mice piss all over the floor food etc
You wouldn’t know to see them Friday
So when people don’t treat I always think are you just waiting for obvious worms or lumps of yellow in the throat or dirty wattles

Morning Neil, I think you've answered the question already from this post, a build-up of dropping has been allowed to develop, e.g pigeons eating contaminated food & water probably damp conditions is a recipe for Cocci to spread plus mice all these have been allowed to establish.

[CHARLTON34]

Hello Neil, in both clinically infected & recovering birds shed Oocysts in droppings which contaminate feed, dust, water, litter, & soil.
Oocysts maybe transmitted via loft equipment or personal e.g.shoes as well as the presence of insects ( e.g.flies & rodents) .
Hope this helps.
Regards Dave.

[CHARLTON34]

With Cocci though Dave if it’s in the pigeons how do you break the cycle even if say your loft is perfect and you treat for cocci
I guess I’m comparing it to worms and wormer not killing the eggs does cocci not work the same to reproduce
That’s the bit I don’t know
I will have a google on how it reproduces

If your loft is cleaned regularly to keep on top of this issue & has been disinfected then it's time to get the burner out Neil, that will break the cycle so all surfaces, perches, boxes etc, also disinfect troughs, & water fountain.

[CHARLTON34]

Dr Walker the Australian vet say that the Oocysts are passed out & are eggs I didn't know that, these egg's hatch out this is when pigeons pick-up these from the floor in contaminated food or just eating dropping. They can be both male & female & will hatch if the environment is right. This is probably how you get different levels of Coccidiosis throughout the year that affects pigeons.

[CHARLTON34]

These can also be sexually & asexually these will attach themselves in various organs of the pigeons but mostly in the lining of the bowel, then the cycle starts over again when it's passed out in the droppings .

[CHARLTON34]

Hello Neil, I would think that it would kill the Oocysts/ egg's in one hit over the period say a weeks course of a Cocci cure, get whatever attached itself to the pigeons organs/bowel away dead.
Well they got to be in the pigeon at various stages I would of thought, if you don't treat then I think this may when racing cause a problem/ of the pace.
Maybe burn the floor, perches, etc if there is anything & try to be clean not letting thing build up to cause a problem in the first place, the problem is when they mix on the transporter so I think you need to be on your game when they return from a racing if possible. Oh & 1 other thing Neil don't burn your loft down m8.
Regards Dave.

[CHARLTON34]

Morning Neil, try & get your head around this, a dramatic number of Oocysts are shed in faeces and this can be many million times higher than the number that are ingested. It takes 2-3 weeks from the infection via the mouth to passing Oocysts from the rectum .

[CHARLTON34]

Think you need to keep an open mind Neil & go from there.
I'm sure in your treatment program that you will be on it's if for any reason form dips at any point in the season.