Antibiotics - read me before administering.

[BastyPutt]

Folks -

There are so many suggestions on BYC to dose your flock or sick birds with antibiotics and very little information provided about the aftermath and potential danger to YOU through consuming their eggs and meat afterward.

The point of this post isn't to deter you from using antibiotics, or from responsibly treating sickness in your your flock however you want - it's your flock. But you should know that each year more and more flock dosing (added to communal water) antibiotics are either being banned or now require a prescription from a vet. The regulatory agencies don't and have never cared about the chickens, but are supposed to regulate how consuming food animals and their bi-products can be harmful to humans - which is what has been happening to unassuming, well intentioned back yard farmers for years.

Antibiotics are a quick, easy way to treat multiple birds at one time. But, just be informed that there are a whole load of other remedies available that are 100% effective and safe for you, your birds and your family.

Here is an article to read about drug residue transference from an excellent source.

https://www.chickenwhisperermagazin...an-health-and-avoid-drug-residues?hs_amp=true

 

[muddy75]

I agree that antibiotics can be over utilized at times in both humans and animals when not absolutely necessary, but in all my time on BYC, I have never witnessed our educators irresponsibly recommending their usage. Maybe you should consider putting together article(s) with information on some of the holistic/alternative remedies you’ve found in your research and experience for others to consider when dealing with sickness in their flocks

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you, how would you administer cinnamon? None of my hens are showing any signs of being ill. My roo however has a stinky face which is why I think he has Coryza. He has had a slight "donut" eye for a while that I was treating unsuccessfully. I cannot seem to be able to find anything otc to treat him.

Press the pus out of his eye, if you don't do that, nothing is going to make the eye get better.
Sulfa antibiotics are used to treat symptoms Infectious Coryza which is a bacterial respiratory disease, birds will be carriers for life.

 

[dawg53]

@Wyorp Rock you are certainly correct.

I'm not arguing with you, because you are a master here that obviously knows their stuff, but why would you treat with a sulfa antibiotic if the real issue is an internal infection? I remember those as being for things like skin absesses or infections in humans? I certainly trust your expertise, mainly just a question.

Infectious Coryza IS an internal bacterial infectious disease that is highly contagious. Sulfa drugs in combination with Baytril will treat it, however birds are carriers for life. I would cull Coryza infected birds in a heartbeat.
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/infectious-coryza/infectious-coryza-in-chickens

 

[Missys Chicken Ranch]

Oh yikes - option 3 I suppose! Probably not a bad one if you have the stomach.

So.. I got in touch with a poultry Dr at a poultry lab. We don't have poultry vets around here unfortunately. Anyway, he does not believe (given the symptoms, the issue being localized, and how long his has occurred) that my roo has Coryza. YAY! He did recommend LA 200 1ml x lb. Just thought I would share.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I like using colloidal silver as it works on bacterial , fungal and viral
It doesn’t cause harm to the birds or to us humans
With that being said I don’t keep my eggs from any birds that have been feeling unwell
They go straight in the garbage

 

[BastyPutt]

I like using colloidal silver as it works on bacterial , fungal and viral
It doesn’t cause harm to the birds or to us humans
With that being said I don’t keep my eggs from any birds that have been feeling unwell
They go straight in the garbage

Colloidal silver is an excellent remedy. And absolutely the best idea - dispose of any and all eggs that may be affected.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So.. I got in touch with a poultry Dr at a poultry lab. We don't have poultry vets around here unfortunately. Anyway, he does not believe (given the symptoms, the issue being localized, and how long his has occurred) that my roo has Coryza. YAY! He did recommend LA 200 1ml x lb. Just thought I would share.

Glad you were able to consult a vet!
What's that dosing of the LA200 again? Are you missing a decimal point?

 

[RubelliteRose]

but in all my time on BYC, I have never witnessed our educators irresponsibly recommending their usage.

This is what I have also seen. BYC Educators (people with an Educator badge ) tend to discourage unnecessary antibiotic use and encourage egg/meat withdrawal times after the necessary use of antibiotics.
I agree that one should not use antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. In addition, unless the entire flock is suffering from an infection, people should also treat individual birds.
Starting next month, all over the counter antibiotics for farm and companion animals will require a prescription, so an article with alternative medications would be very much appreciated

 

[BastyPutt]

I agree that antibiotics can be over utilized at times in both humans and animals when not absolutely necessary, but in all my time on BYC, I have never witnessed our educators irresponsibly recommending their usage. Maybe you should consider putting together article(s) with information on some of the holistic/alternative remedies you’ve found in your research and experience for others to consider when dealing with sickness in their flocks

In no way do I believe folks are being irresponsible, but I can see how the tone has come off that way. I believe that anyone trying to help is doing it in good nature.

I also don't believe people shouldn't use antibiotics at all. Id say, if I was facing some sort of illness that was threatening my entire flock and no other remedies were helping, I'd have a hard time not considering something along those lines to save them opposed to watching them all die one by one. Fortunately in over 10 years, I haven't yet.

Although not always true, a majority of those looking for help in terms of illness on BYC are generally new flock keepers - again, my experience and observation. I know in my early days, I had no idea that what I gave my chickens for food or medicine, I was ultimately giving myself.

I believe when we are advising with antibiotics, dewormers or anything else that crosses the membrane, we should also advise that it could be harmful to the keepers for a certain amount of time, or possibly forever on some medications that admittedly have no idea if they ever clear the animal entirely. And you are correct, something like linking articles to holistic methods would be me walking my own talk.

On that note, I will do this.