Antibiotic use

[Peter.J]

Hi, I’ve got a sick bird which i plan on treating with powdered erythromycin. Debating on treating the rest of the flock’s (25 birds) water too. Are birds treated with antibiotics safe to eat down the road?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Erythromycin has a 24-hour withdrawal period.

General advice:
There should be a withdrawal period on the bottle. If there isn't one, it wasn't tested on poultry or your have the non-poultry-specific supply of the active ingredient. If the former, you probably shouldn't use it except as a last resort. If the latter, look up the type that is used on poultry and double-check to be sure you're actually using the right dosage.

An unprofessional rule of thumb is that you should ignore the "do not use in birds producing eggs for food purposes" bit because they will never come out with a product meant for use in egg-laying hens. Big egg sellers don't keep their hens for long enough to have to medicate them, and so no products are tested in egg-laying birds. Not enough demand=not enough funding=no product=use your own good judgement.

Erythromycin Brand Name Gallimycin water soluble powder is used as an aid in the treatment and control of chronic respiratory disease and infectious coryza. Also for use as an aid in the management of complex disease syndromes such as bluecomb and synovitis and in management of respiratory outbreaks and syndromes resulting from the stresses of movement of birds.

Active Ingredients: Each gram contains Erythromycin (as erythromycin phosphate) 231.2mg

Dosage: Use as the only source of water for 7 days.

Cure: For small birds (finches, Parakeets etc.) use 1/8 teaspoons per 2 quarts of water. For large birds,Pigeons to Macaws and chickens, Cure: 3/4 teaspoons to 1 quart of water.

Note: Medications should not be given when chicks are in the nest. Treatment to birds while sitting on eggs is okay before the eggs are hatched.

Warning: Treatment should not be given if you use the food or eggs for human consuption for at least 24 hours after the last treatment with this drug. Do not use in birds producing eggs for food purposes.

 

[Peter.J]

Thanks Sylvie, lots of good information. They are’t really laying much/at all, but if they do i may just discard the eggs for a week.
I’m going in the morning to Petsmart to get some; they sell it for fish but i think it should work just fine for chx, will have to just look at the dosaging closely.
I don’t want to really do this but i’m Going to be gone for 3 days starting monday so i figure its better to nip something in the butt instead of coming home Thursday morning to a bunch of sick/dead chx...
Just one is symptomatic now (quarantined) but i figure they all got exposed at some point...

 

[Folly's place]

Look at the FARAD.org website for current information about drugs you can use, and withdrawal times. It's a short list, but there are antibiotics approved for this.
Mary

 

[Peter.J]

Thank you Folly