Gurgling hens with upper respiratory issue & treatments

egghead@1265

Songster
11 Years
Oct 24, 2011
207
4
156
U.S.
So we have 28 laying hens in two different coops who seem to have developed an upper respiratory gurgle, and occasional sneezing.

They don't all have this going on, but it is difficult to sort out just which ones have it and which do not have it...and regardless, supposedely they are all carriers and/or exposed/infected anyhow??!

I am unable to separate them, and see it as a pointless situation in trying to do so at this point anyhow.

So far, they are on their 5th day of being treated via their water with LS-50 as prescribed by our local vet.

All I read is to either use Tylan or tetracycline. Are these two drugs more effective than the LS-50? I am out of the LS-50, and need to get back to the vet within a few hours so I can either give them more of the LS-50 or get something else.

I don't believe he has the Tylan in powder for their water, as I asked originally, and they said no.

I was treating a few of the Americana/Americauna's for some feather loss by their tail feathers, as unsure if they may have had some mites going. I have used Nu-stock, poultry dust, and also sprayed them with Blu-coat. They seem to be doing better with that, and aren't getting pecked on any longer. Also, put vicks vapo rub on the tail spot a few times, to deter the others from pecking.

Also have some brown egg layers that are fine without the tail feather issue and a few older oddball hens from 3-4 years ago that still are alive.(3 of them are about 4 and the other is about 2 1/2 years of age) None of these have any feather loss.

I have also used a bit of Vet RX under their wings, and sprayed on them a couple times at night.

Still gurgling.

Any suggestions?

Have kept them inside, much to their disappointment, so they can only drink the medicated water.


SO....in SUMMARY....
I am still dealing with birds with the gurgles and the vet here said and sold me LS-50. Have administered for 5 days and still some gurgling-I need to see what's next-as not better-but not worse either...
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Any suggestions? Maybe 5 days is not enough of the LS-50?? Maybe the LS-50 isn't a strong enough drug? Or, perhaps as upper respiratory issues are slow in being presented with symptoms and also challenging to get rid of, it just takes longer or a stronger med???

 
Lincomycin/spectinomycin is one of many drugs used for treatment of mycoplasma. But most of the information I see about it is that it is for use in baby chicks in their first week of life. Since you have so many sick birds, treating them with Tylan 50 injectable might be a bit to difficult and expensive. It is more for treating one sick bird. It's not a good thing to give antibiotics unless you know what disease they may have, and also not good to treat a bird without symptoms. Since respiratory diseases are a result of viruses, bacteria or mycoplasma, fungus, you need to know that antibiotics will not effect a virus or fungus.And the right antibiotic needs to be given for the bacteria or mycoplasma. It's unfortunate that some vets know less about chickens than most people. Some can be very good though.

Most respiratory diseases will last several weeks to over a month whether antibiotics are used or not. The viruses just will run their course over time. Sometimes they can get secondary infections such as other bacteria or air sacculitis, where E.coli may spread throughout the body. If you lose a chicken or decide to put a sick bird down, it would help to get a necropsy to look for the diseases. Some states will do 3 birds for one price.

Here is a good link to read about the common symptoms of the most common respiratory diseases which are infectious bronchitis, mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG,) infectious coryza, ILT, and aspergillosis:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

And another link for a thread I just finished which contains good info on how to prevent respiratory diseases:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1155414/sneezing-flock-of-chickens#post_18121579

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DESCRIPTION of LS50

Lincomycin Spectinomycin Water Soluble Powder

For use in chickens up to 7 days old to help control chronic respiratory disease (CRD).

Contains 16.7 gm of lincoymcin and 33.3 gm of spectinomycin.
1 bottle treats 25 gallons of drinking water.
 
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Also, I had thought Tylan was in a powdered form for water as well?

And no, all birds are not sick -though some in each coop and group so we thought best to treat them all as all exposed and they have intermixed many times while free ranging and they have cohabitated some.
 
Yes,Tylan is available online, and called Tylan Soluble Powder. You now need a prescription for it, as far as I know, but they can contact your vet for that. I would have to look around, but you can do that as well. It has cost around $55 in the past at feed stores, so you can Google for the best price. Look for free shipping. As far as treating all birds, I would not unless they are sick, but it sounds like you may have no other choice. But it could save you lot of money to contact your state vet or local ag.extension agent to get a couple of birds tested. I have heard people say that it has only cost a couple of dollars per bird in some places. If you are dealing with a virus, no actibiotic will stop it, although it could help to prevent secondary infections.

I just checked online and found Tylan powder for $59 with free shipping through Doctors Foster and Smith, and at $53 at Valley Vet Supply with no shipping listed, so probably an additional amount. Both require a prescription and you will need to supply your vet's name and contact info. Dosage is 1 teaspoonful per gallon of water for 3-5 days.

I would be using some probiotics on your chickens if their feed does not have it on the label. The easiest thing is to use a little plain yogurt (about 1 tsp per bird) and mix it well into their feed--add some water and stir. I use a flat pig pan for this.
 
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Will begin some Pro bios-today-thank you!

I read the links and thanks for those! I have checked others as well, and the chicken books we have,...

I believe the issue started on our end as our coop had too much moisture! Way too much! Temperature changes and no adjustments made on air flow-poor hens!

So, more air circulation now and keeping bedding as fresh and dry as possible...

Also, a bit suspicious of some straw that was used, as it was a bottom batch and had some mold on it. Most was removed, but mold could have been a problem as well! Ugh! Or at least may have contributed to it
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I hsaw how expensive the powder was as well! Ugh!
 
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It seems the hens are improving, and they seem to be more energetic. The vet recommended continuing the LS-50 for another week assuming the mixture lasts that long. The birds are drinking more, which is also a sign that they are improving!

Also, am picking up more eggs each day, and I hadn't realized that their production was actually slipping.

Hoping they are coming around!

BTW-they loved the yogurt mixed with their feed!

Thank you!:)
 
Hopefully, they have turned the corner. Keep in mind hatching eggs or getting more birds this year might not be a good thing. Most respiratory diseases create carriers of the flock up to a year after for infectious bronchitis, and forever with some of the diseases like MG. Good luck.
 
This vet was a proponent of allowing the hens outside. Fresh air, dry and clean bedding, water, and all things that are good for other animals and people are good for the hens as well!

Unfortunately today we are getting a snowfall, again, which they don't particularly care for!:p
 

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