Antibiotics and eating eggs

[dawg53]

I can't quote from my phone. I don't know why it won't let me.
Anyway, why should I cull them? Is what they have incurable?

Chickens dont get colds. They get a specific disease. Respiratory diseases are easily spread to other birds, are transmitted on clothing, shoes, your hands, vehicle tires etc...
Antibiotics such as tylan, gallimycin, duramycin and all antibiotics simply mask symptoms and dont cure the disease. Antibiotics have no effect on viral diseases. Once an infected bird is treated with an antibiotic, there will come a time when the bird will be stressed for some reason and the symptoms will reappear requiring a more powerful antibiotic to treat the symptoms. The bacteria will have built resistance to the previously used antibiotic.You've heard about antibiotic resistance on the news, same applies with chickens. Sick chickens dont lay eggs, then if they did, eggs need to be discarded due to withdrawal periods.
Here's a link of common poultry respiratory diseases in chickens for you to read. Most of them make birds carriers for life as I previously mentioned. Havnt you read about the recent outbreak and spread of Avian Influenza in the news, where hundreds of thousands of chickens had to be slaughtered to prevent the spread of the disease? Biosecurity.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[umarson]

My flock had this respiratory infection last year. A friend told me to use garlic and it works for me. he said it has the liquid sulphur content, so it will remain in the birds system compared to synthetic chemicals that'll eventually form in the eggs and poops. I crush the garlic and serve it to them, but my little ones have it in water. ever since i started this, my flock remain safe and they love it.

 

[chicky1016]

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How much per bird do you crush? Serve it once a day? How long will it take before you notice a difference? I never knew chickens liked garlic.

 

[chicky1016]

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Only 3 are showing symptoms. Quarantine is not an option because we simply do not have the means. I understand it's contagious, so that's why we are treating all of them now. Even though only 3 are showing symptoms. I lost count, LOL, I think we have 13? You said the antibiotics I am using only mask the symptoms, there is nothing else that I can use? I am willing to try something else (within my budget), before I cull. All of them are eating and drinking at this point so it's not bad (yet). Are you telling me there is no hope for my chickens?

 

[dawg53]

My flock had this respiratory infection last year. A friend told me to use garlic and it works for me. he said it has the liquid sulphur content, so it will remain in the birds system compared to synthetic chemicals that'll eventually form in the eggs and poops. I crush the garlic and serve it to them, but my little ones have it in water. ever since i started this, my flock remain safe and they love it.

It doesnt matter if you give them garlic or not. They will always be carriers of whatever disease it is.

 

[dawg53]

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You can maintain a closed flock. That means no new birds in, no birds out. No selling or giving away eggs to be hatched nor selling nor giving away chicks. Get your sickest bird necropsied to find out exactly what you're dealing with. You can contact your local extension office and find out how to go about it, and also ask if it's free of charge. Sometimes a college or university vet lab will do a necropsy for free or low cost.

 

[chicky1016]

You can maintain a closed flock. That means no new birds in, no birds out. No selling or giving away eggs to be hatched nor selling nor giving away chicks. Get your sickest bird necropsied to find out exactly what you're dealing with. You can contact your local extension office and find out how to go about it, and also ask if it's free of charge. Sometimes a college or university vet lab will do a necropsy for free or low cost.

So if my chickens are laying, is it safe to eat the eggs from a chicken that is exhibiting mild symptoms? Minus the whole antibiotic thing.
We won't sell anyway. That was never the plan. This was just a hobby. And for the eggs.

 

[umarson]

@ chicky1016
just about the size of average tea cup is enough for a day. Garlic is natural and safe. A week is enogh to see the difference. You can google for garlic to learn more about neutritional content.

 

[umarson]

@ dwag53
what is the cure then? i thot immunity is about over powering a disease from taking over their body system?

 

[dawg53]

@ dwag53
what is the cure then? i thot immunity is about over powering a disease from taking over their body system?

There is no cure, only treatment for symptoms, or cull. Remember, birds are not mammals.