Natural Antibiotics

[RiverKatt]

Lorts of good advice and replies about all the natural remedies ... but I'm wondering is what does it mean to ferment the food ?

 

[Sophocles]

Lorts of good advice and replies about all the natural remedies ... but I'm wondering is what does it mean to ferment the food ?

2 good threads discussing it:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds

Essentially you add a culture of (specific) bacteria to feed. You let the colony of bacteria grow and break down the feed

The reasoning is that, apart from the bacteria producing nutrients that your body (or your chickens') might not be able to produce, the (non-harmful) bacteria in the fermented food will strengthen your gut flora which compete against harmful bacteria, effectively helping to prevent GI infections.

While the reasoning is sound, do note that there's no conclusive evidence as of yet that such probiotics actually help prevent infection.

It might sound weird but provided you ferment your feed correctly, it is perfectly harmless. Lots of trendy food such as kimchi or kombucha is fermented.

(Personally I don't think the possible advantages are worth the effort and the time's better spent cleaning up the run/coop, but to each their own)

 

[RiverKatt]

Thanks Sophocles !

 

[remisophy]

I will try grinding some dried oregano up and putting it in my sick hens food the Oregano's from my garden Last Summer

 

[remisophy]

What would the dosage of oregano be for one hen?

 

[remisophy]

Just thought I'd share this information. I am a chicken novice, my father in law and husband do most of the chicken stuff and they are still learning too. Their solution was an axe, so this is where I stepped in. At first I thought my chicken was egg bound, but after some more research was pretty sure there wasn't an egg there, so put her symptoms down to peritonitis. She had all the symptoms except for the laboured breath. She seemed to be swollen further back (was bigger and spongy) so I guess it wasn't putting pressure on her lungs. Her tail was down, could hardly walk and definitely had the penguin waddle with legs splayed when she did. Very lethargic, literally collapsing into a sit after a few steps and closing her eyes. Her comb was pale and blotchy. The fact that I could approach and pick her up without any protest was a definite sign, I could roll her onto her side to examin her and she'd just lay there. However I still had hope as her eyes were clear and alert and curious in between wanting to sleep (which was alot). Day one consisted of lost of warm baths, cleaning up her rear and and massaging and keeping her inside (box in the bathtub with towels and a warm pad when not being held and loved on). After deciding it was peritonitis I couldn't find duramycin 10 anywhere near where I lived so found some posts on natural alternatives I could do myself. I came across this article on oregano and cinnamon as being natural antibiotics. I only had dried oregano and cinnamon sticks so made up a tea. Boiled about a tablespoon of dried oregano and half a stick in about a 3/4 small saucepan of water for about 15 minutes, then scooped out the stick and the bulk of the leaves (just did this by hand) and poored the mixture into about the same quantity of water. I gave her this to drink only (which she seemed to really like, shes been drinking quite a bit of it). So far so good, its about day 2 since she started drinking and day 3 since I noticed her symptions. Her poop has lost its yellow color (though now the solid part is green, guessing that's from the oregano). She has lost her penguin waddle and is standing normally. She is eating just fine, walking and pecking around the yard. Her tail is still droopy but she's stopped collapsing into a sit. I let her out into the yard today brought her in for the hottest part of the day. I am still going to keep her inside at night until tail is back up (I've now put a piece of wood on the box so she can roost in there at night since I dont have a separate section in the coup and pen to keep her isolated and away from our other hens very virile young roosters). She has also been receiving ALOT of TLC, sitting in my lap watching tv, being stroked. Think shes getting used to it, shes never been handled before this and is soaking it up. She seems to be well on the way to a full recovery.

How is your hen?

 

[remisophy]

I made the mixture boiled oregano and a cinnamon stick my hand would not touch the liquid. So I poured it over her favorite eggs she would not touch it I ported over another favourite bread with peas and corn again she would not touch it I don't know what to do she has egg peritonitis

 

[casportpony]

I made the mixture boiled oregano and a cinnamon stick my hand would not touch the liquid. So I poured it over her favorite eggs she would not touch it I ported over another favourite bread with peas and corn again she would not touch it I don't know what to do she has egg peritonitis

Egg yolk peritonitis is quite serious. Can you take her to a vet?

 

[remisophy]

Egg yolk peritonitis is quite serious. Can you take her to a vet?

I absolutely would love to but my husband said no because of what it would cost us at the veterinarian clinic I have been doing everything I can and I've been staying up till 1 to in the morning with her today is day 11 another lady thought it may be prolapse but she had all the symptoms of egg bound but no egg today's day 11 so she would be gone if if she was egg down and I had treated her for that I was also told to give her a enema to relieve some of the pressure on her tummy

 

[casportpony]

I absolutely would love to but my husband said no because of what it would cost us at the veterinarian clinic I have been doing everything I can and I've been staying up till 1 to in the morning with her today is day 11 another lady thought it may be prolapse but she had all the symptoms of egg bound but no egg today's day 11 so she would be gone if if she was egg down and I had treated her for that I was also told to give her a enema to relieve some of the pressure on her tummy

Can you post a picture of fom behind?