Respiratory Infection - let's play the antibiotics game!

MinnesotaNice

Songster
Apr 20, 2015
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Minnesota
Here's the back story.....

Last week I lost a hen who had discharge coming out of her nostrils and very watery eyes. She was also extending her neck and had some breathing difficulties (minor crackling/gurgling). Before I could treat her appropriately, I lost her. I put ACV and vitamins/electrolytes in the water and have continued since then hoping to avoid more sick birds.

Yesterday, I noticed a young pullet (3 mo old) with swollen, watery eyes and she was lethargic. She also had a bit of a smell to her. My initial thought was Coryza (she is the only symptomatic bird that has had this "smell" by the way). It's been below freezing here in MN, so I brought her inside and gave her .25ml of Tylan 50 and put VetRx on her. Her eyes have been sealed shut off/on and I've been using Neosporin to help relieve eye symptoms. Once delivered, I'll start using Terramycin on her eyes. I gave her a second dose of Tylan last night and another this morning. The initial smell I sensed from her has dissipated greatly. She also took about 5cc's of water this morning and she at some scrambled eggs with my help since her vision is impaired.

Later yesterday, I noticed more sneezing in the coop and watery eyes in a few more of my younger pullets. I brought them all into the garage and started them on Tylan. Second dose was given this morning. Aside from the initial deceased hen, I have only seen similar symptoms in one other of my older 10mo old girls. She is currently being treated, but has not had eye or lethargic symptoms like my younger pullets. Just respiratory with extending her neck and gurgling. She eats and drinks fine from what I have seen.

My question is, I do have Duramycin on hand and Sulmet will be delivered tomorrow. I do expect this to travel through the entire flock even with separating birds. If it doesn't spread, I consider myself very lucky. I did gut out the coop and disinfected what I could, but they've all been exposed. I will cull if I have to, but I'd like to see if I can resolve this first. I don't want to over medicate my girls or medicate them for no reason, but should I add the Duramycin or Sulmet to the water for everyone? Then, only use Tylan injections for the obvious symptomatic birds in addition to the water treatments? Thanks in advance!
 
If it's viral then all your flock will be potential carriers, so you may not be disposed to selling any chickens to another keeper. Having said that, from what I have read, viral respiratory issues are more common than we would all like to think (not suggesting you should ever sell chickens if you know your flock has suffered from these issues- it would be irresponsible at best).

I have kept my flock that suffered some viral respiratory problem but in hindsight I wish I'd culled and started again - just my opinion, I'm sure other members approach such issues differently.

If you wish to keep your flock, then treat them all although it may well be that the other flock members may have a sufficiently strong immune system to fight the infection.

I think it's a grey area, so there's no definitive solution in my humble opinion.

All the best and I hope that other members will also offer advice that wil help you out

Cheers
Ct
 
Thanks for your insight. I went ahead and gave them all Tylan injections. They were all sniffling in the coop tonight. I think I'll do a bit more digging and add the duramycin or Sulmet to the water beginning Wed. Like you said, I may have to start culling birds without any improvement soon. So unfortunate.

The surviving ladies will definitely only stay with me. No hatching eggs or chicks either. It would be irresponsible and wrong to push this on to someone else.

Dang feathered little dinosaurs....
 
Thanks for your insight. I went ahead and gave them all Tylan injections. They were all sniffling in the coop tonight. I think I'll do a bit more digging and add the duramycin or Sulmet to the water beginning Wed. Like you said, I may have to start culling birds without any improvement soon. So unfortunate.

The surviving ladies will definitely only stay with me. No hatching eggs or chicks either. It would be irresponsible and wrong to push this on to someone else.

Dang feathered little dinosaurs....


You are most welcome. You're making responsible decisions. I do use one girl to raise chicks, but vaccinate against infectious bronchitis and Newcastle disease on the day they are born - seems to work - at least they never have shown symptoms.

Good luck

Ct
 
Help please!! One of my hens is sick, I noticed her away from the rest of the flock this morning and as I let the rest of flock out and took her out of the coop in hopes none of the others get sick as well as to treat her. She is breathing with her mouth open, gurgling and sneezing. At the feed store we were told to get tetroxy hca-280 soluble powder. She isn't eating or drinking but I can use a dropper just need to know how much of this to mix with water.
 
Help please!! One of my hens is sick, I noticed her away from the rest of the flock this morning and as I let the rest of flock out and took her out of the coop in hopes none of the others get sick as well as to treat her. She is breathing with her mouth open, gurgling and sneezing. At the feed store we were told to get tetroxy hca-280 soluble powder. She isn't eating or drinking but I can use a dropper just need to know how much of this to mix with water.

Sorry, I can't advise (I live in Kenya so I am not familiar with the drug mentioned). Isolating the sick hen is the first thing to be done. I'd suggest creating a new thread to help you get a faster response.

Good luck
Ct
 
Thanks so much for your reply CT. The bag of antibiotic doesn't say how many chickens each dose treats. Ihanks again
 
You isolated her, which is good. Keep her warm. Have food and water available for her even if you're not visibly seeing her drink/eat. I'm not familiar with the antibiotic you got, but I've been using Tylan 50 which can be injected or given orally. My chickens have shown improvement. I have 3 that are showing more "severe" symptoms isolated. My sickest starting drinking and eating on her own yesterday. Prior to that, I used a dropper and hand fed her eggs. Perhaps give her something more appealing.....mealworms, eggs, make a mash, etc.

See if this helps....

http://www.drugs.com/vet/tetroxy-hca-280.html
 
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Thanks for your reply aa well MinnesotaNice. I ended up calling the feed store that afternoon about how much etc. Thank God I read the links about giving meds orally!!! She seems to be doing better today. She still sounds raspy but she has ate some, and she has drank some of her water :) I am now thinking after reading alllll I have read that this may have stemmed from fowl pox.
 

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