Antibiotics and poults???

[TarHeelBlue]

I have also posted in the Turkey section, but need an answer soon. Just wondering if it is alright to dose poults (1 1/2 weeks) with an antibiotic?? I have some questionable "sick" chickens and don't want it to spread. As careful as I have been, I just don't want the poults to get whatever the chickens have. (prob some respiratory bug, not sure yet)

 

[MaransGuy]

The short answer is NO. Antibiotics are not something that should be used indiscriminately and if you do not know what you are dealing with they should not be used. Antibiotics, like all drugs, have negative effects in addition to any possible therapeutic ones. Using an antibiotic "just in case" it can help is never a good idea and a great way to help start breeding resistant pathogens. Many people think that they can't hurt- only help and that is simply not true. What are the syptoms of your "sick" chickens?

 

[TarHeelBlue]

Actually not sure what the two chickens have - just puffy eyes, one seems photophobic. One has only one eye that is puffy, swollen looking.

 

[MaransGuy]

It sounds like it is likely one of the many different respiratory complexes that can infect poultry. Unfortunately, the majority are not succeptible to antibiotics as they are either viral or a mycoplasma. Very few antibiotics actually have much effect on respiratory problems.

 

[ShowMeGirl]

Better off to let it run the coarse,many antibotics ahve been foung to not be useful.But it's you're choose to use them or not.Just rember the more you use them the less likey they will be to work when you really need them.