Antibiotic Overuse in Our Farm Animals - important story

[spook]

Good article thank you for posting it! Even some bacterias such as Mycoplasma cannot be treated with antibiotics, they act viral. So only treat a true infection, submit a test swab to your local states diagnostic laboratory to find out which of the many antibiotics should be used.

Again, thank you so much for taking time out to post this link!

 

[Tweeza]

Quote:
I got 10 chicks in Sept. from Ideal Poultry. I believe they recommended no medicated feed, so I didn't. I had the chicks in a box and they were doing great. Then all of a sudden on started to breath a little heavy. I put her up to my ear and I could hear secretions clicking in her nose, bummer. The next day another one was breathing even heavyier and I could hear the secretions from afar. I got them out of the box fast and into a cage with open sides. I gave no medications, only prayer, and they are happy and healthy to this day, giving very nice eggs.

 

[yotetrapper]

In the 4 years I've had chickens I've not used medicated starter or antibiotics. With the said, if I was having issues with high chick mortality or a illness that threatened my whole flock I wouldnt hesitate to use them. I just consider it an added expense thats unnecessary.

 

[Dar]

20 years ago they threw everything at you if you had the sniffles

today a lot of doctors will not prescribe unless they have the test results..(our docs run that way at the nursing home)...

I just brought my DD into the doc to ask about the chicken pox vaccine...he said he would rather her get the chicken pox as a child then as an adult...he said if she has not gotten them by 12 then bring her back in and he will run a titer test and vaccinate at that point if necessary

there are certain things that i feel they should be vaccinated against cocci is one and mericks (sp) is the other (but to each their own)

after that i do not believe in dosing them with something just cause they have a runny poo or a sneeze..I have a farm vet that will come and see me if needed when he is making his rounds for the dairy farms in my area at little cost or i can bring a sample to him...I am also VERY lucky to have the University of Guelph close to me...they have one of the best Vet programs running in the country so they love us coming in...free test dummies...lol

 

[Judymae]

We don't have the same option for the chicken pox vaccination. Our children have to have it to enter school. The school nurse told me the state is considering a booster for it when the child turns 14.

 

[Dar]

they cant force you to have any vaccine here in ontario...you have to sign a form saying basically that if there is an outbreak that you will remove your child from school...but they (the school) do like to try the scare tactics

 

[chickiebaby]

It's interesting that so many of us don't use antibiotics on our flocks. Yet when a newbie posts that she's scared about a runny nosed or sneezy chicken a horde of responses tell her to throw antibiotics at them pronto.

Maybe one small thing we can all do is notice all those times and be the voices of dissent, offering advice on things to do for birds other than abx and on the reasons we don't do it.

Or maybe we need to get up some sort of document on this for BYC users. Maybe along the lines of Pat's excellent page on ventilation, to which we all refer new members or anyone with ventilation questions.

Anyone here with more experience than me want to try to join me in putting something together along those lines? Katy, are you interested, or Speckled Hen?

love.

 

[CovenantCreek]

I've only used antibiotics once for a chicken -- she couldn't put weight on one foot and her leg was turning green. Maybe I've been lucky, but I've never seen a chicken with sniffles or a runny nose. The way I was raised, if you're sick you get over it, if that doesn't work then you go to the doctor...

 

[speckledhen]

chickiebaby, honestly, I think it should be someone else other than me. In my Ten Commandments of Flock Management I put together, I was positively lambasted for suggesting that the best thing to do for disease was cull. No other point got so much attention--you'd think I told someone to euthanize their grandmother! It's not something people want to hear but it needs to be said. I only use antibiotics for a serious injury or non-respiratory infection. Refusing to buy birds from anyone is partly why I've never had to deal with respiratory infection, along with supporting healthy immune systems through diet, etc, but if the day comes, I will practice what I preach.... and cry while doing it.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

I've been tooting this flute for years now, I am glad its getting some better exposure.

You think thats scary, you should research MSG and its use in our food stuff. Its in EVERYTHING we eat, and guess what? Its symptoms of toxicity cause the following issues: heart failure, heart attack, congestive heart failure, weight gain, sugar resistance, diabetes, mental issues such as depression, insomnia, anxiety, paranoia, also things such as hormone imbalance, and links to infertility... the list is endless.... but do those things sound familiar to you? because iam pretty sure that everyone has at least one or some of those issues... forgot to add that high blood pressure is one of those effects...

I suffered from panic attacks for over 10 years, i stopped eating MSG entirely, and dont get them anymore. I eat MSG just once, and it'll take me a week or better to detox all over again.

its in EVERYTHING, even salt free and low fat dairy items (yogurt, butter), all purpose flour (yeah thats right, you heard me) some organic foods... EVEN BABY FORMULA! For cripes sake they inject it in our meats.

isnt that sick?

Everyone should google it. its unreal how clean you feel once you're off of it.. its like you're not tired and you can think again, and didnt even realize you werent before.