Birds Sick, Cull?

[Ravie]

Several of my (50) birds are coughing. Roosters start by getting a gurgly crow, and then stop crowing altogether. They are fat, active, and hungry. They do not have discharge from eyes or nostrils. Poop looks normal. Egg production has nearly stopped. Seriously. 40 mature hens. 2-4 eggs per week. About 5 of my birds show symptoms. The rest seem fine.

I am assuming this is MG, but I have no idea, really. I've read that any upper respiratory infection means my birds are now carriers.

I incubate and sell eggs. I think MG is passed to the embryo. Am I right about that?

I am seriously wondering if I will have to cull in order to continue breeding and selling. I can't imagine culling any of my birds, but when I think about my sweet silkies and show-girls, I just about die inside.

Is there a chance this could be something that's less of a big deal? Are there other options?

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

How old are the chickens? Do they free range? When did you last worm them, with what, repeated how many times?

(Also, aside from illness or worms causing it, egg production also naturally slows as the daylight gets shorter and the weather gets colder.)

 

[Johnn]

i think its worms, if it is dont cull them worm them

 

[Ravie]

My birds vary in age from about 30 weeks to 18 months of age. They do free-range.

I have never wormed them. Would they produce a wet cough or have issues crowing if it were worms?

Honestly, having worms would be a relief!

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

Worms... probably. Any chicken 5 months or older is old enough to worm. Just dose according to size.

You can first time worm with Valbazen, it is a safe and gradual first wormer... NO EGGS OR CULLING TO EAT DURING TREATMENT!! Which will take at least two doses and to the 25th day....

Valbazen is a milky white liquid... giving it to chickens is "off label" use. It (unlike most others) kills ALL types of worms. (But, not mites)...
You will buy it at the local feed store, asap, since you have a sick bird. It is a bit expensive. ($35. to $50.) Also ask the feed store for a few syringes.. syringes that show 1/2 and 1/4 cc/ml...

You have the sick one or ones isolated, alone, in a cage -- separate from the rest? You can treat her/them separately, now?
The rest of the chickens go into the roost and /or run at night? Lock them in... -- Either at night or in the morning... Have someone help you... since you have many this will be a job.
Catch one at a time... someone holding... someone else with the (well shaken) Valbazen -- the syringes ready... suck up 1/2 cc/ml per STANDARD size chicken. And, 1/4 cc/ml per Bantam or small chicken. (I guess if you had some 'Giants' -- very large chickens, you could go up to 1 cc/ml for a very large chicken).
Hold each one, lift their head, stretching their neck up a bit, gently.. open their mouth.. you can pry it open -- or for those that have wattles and combs if you pull gently on both they will open their mouth... Notice the windpipe at the back of the tongue. you must not, must not get anything into that.... put the syringe with the Valbazen in it to the side to the back of throat, further back and down and to the side a bit and dose.. give each chicken their medicine and let the go... out to free range is good, that way you have the dosed birds out and the ones yet to be dosed contained in the coop and run.. this way you can keep track and make sure to dose each and every one.

Withhold the eggs from the time you dose -- REDOSE IN TEN DAYS... ON THE 10th day.. withhold eggs for 14 days MORE... a total of 24 days... eggs are safe to eat and sell on the 25th day after the last (second) dose. NOW, if you see tapeworm segments in the poop... (like rice)... then, you may well have to dose a third and maybe a fourth time.. but, get started and watch the poop just in case.. Tapeworms are a bigger problem. You would have to dose a third time, on the tenth day after the second dose.. watch the poop... if you still see tapeworm segments.. well.. first..... get them dosed right away, especially the sick ones.

Use the Search here on BYC to search 'WORMING WITH VALBAZEN'... you can trust info from dawg53 on this subject (and more).

Good luck... you can PM me if you want to ... I am not extremely experienced, but, I just finished worming for Tapeworms.
Worms are often mis-diagnosed as repiratory problems and other illnesses.. so.. worm first... you can also get and give some Antibiotics (I would give the water soluable one, Tetracycline / Duramycin 10) -- while worming.

Good luck.

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

Also check the chickens for mites if you haven't (look on and around the vent, and under the wings/armpits). Sevin Dust on each chicken... ( I would wait until five days after the first worming -- just my opinion so as not to overburden the chickens with the worming and antibiotics and dusting?? Someone else may have other thoughts on this.)....

Dust with Sevin Dust under each chickens wings, their "armpits", on the vent... a little on the lower and upper back.. where the tail meets and betweent the wings. Also Sevin Dust in the cleaned coop... a bit in each nesting box.. (just a sprinkle).. sprinkled on the cleaned roost.. sprinkled in the dirt, sand, etc of the run. A little wherever they "dirt bath".

Repeat in ten days and then "now and then".

All the best.

 

[Elite Silkies]

I would use Ivermectin Pour On for cattle. It worms them and gets rids of mites. I don't think worms would cause coughing though, unless maybe they have gape worm. You can take a Q-tip run it down the throat, if they have gape worm it will come back out red.

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

Good for (some) worms, and mites, but Ivermectin does not kill tapeworms. (Eprinex did not kill the mites on my chickens... or the tapeworms, I was not impressed, but since I bought this bottle, I may try it again next time around in a few months).

Also, for a first time wormer.... Valbazen works gradually over several days, therefore does not cause the problem of "overloading" the system with dead parasites/worms.

Please.. do not take my word... Use the Search here on BYC and look into "Worming" and "Worming with Valbazen"... you can trust info posted by dawg53 on worming.

Good luck.

 

[Elite Silkies]

Quote:
Yes, you are correct that "overloading" the systems with dead worms can cause a problem. I know in horses it will knot their stomachs up and causes severe problems.

 

[flowerchild59]

In my signature line there is a link on worming and my saga with my hens.
Worm them, repeat in 10 days, give probiotics and vitamins to help bolster their health.