Blackhead or Histomoniasis case in Chicken

[PertyGertie]

If you're on your iPad and want to save a pic, I've found it much easier to take a screen shot and then do necessary cropping of the picture than putting Google links in. I've lost so many pics thinking the link would get me back to it. My poor kids scroll thru my pics and often times find offensive poop pictures or necropsy pics I've saved. I really need to make a file just for those.

 

[SDChickMom]

I am not sure if this is the place to post, but I think my older buff orpington hasBlackhead or Histomoniasis. I see the older threads, what is the current medication advice, still Fish zole? Many thank yous. I finally got the, wormed, but i was too late on this. Getting medicine tomorrow, Monday.

 

[casportpony]

I am not sure if this is the place to post, but I think my older buff orpington hasBlackhead or Histomoniasis. I see the older threads, what is the current medication advice, still Fish zole? Many thank yous. I finally got the, wormed, but i was too late on this. Getting medicine tomorrow, Monday.

Why do you think she has blackhead? Treatment would be metronidazole (fish-zole) for the blackhead, but they usually also have E.coli, and for that you would need something that treats E.coli, like Baytril (enrofloxacin).

Can you take her to a vet?

Can you post a picture of her poop?

-Kathy

 

[SDChickMom]

I think it is Blackhead because of the dark blackness on her comb and feathers on her head. It is a bit sticky. I have been treating with the Fish Zole(since 7/25) and had one other hen(RIR) with the blackness coming on her too(7/26 started treatment). Both are getting the fish zole daily, both are older matriarchs at our house and pets. I don't think a vet visit is in the cards.

We started giving them scrambled eggs and they scarfed it up on 7/27. I am hopeful because they are eating again with eggs, broccoli, and now their chicken pellets crushed. I will get a picture of the poo to post. It is still watery and dark green and frequent, but maybe with the increase in eating it will improve in appearance.

My next move is to worm my flock again with Valbazen. I used Ivermectin horse paste on July 3 and 13th. Because of the Blackhead, I was worried that they have cecal worms that weren't caught that gave them the blackhead. The buff is thin, 1.5kg, and shakes her head more than usual.I don't want the cecal worms to perforate her intestinal tract and then deal with peritonitis. So happy they are eating again. No weight gain on the scale yet. Hoping they DON'T have a secondary infection like cocci or e. coli to deal with. I have a microscope, wish I was trained to be able to identify it reliably.

 

[casportpony]

I think it is Blackhead because of the dark blackness on her comb and feathers on her head. It is a bit sticky. I have been treating with the Fish Zole(since 7/25) and had one other hen(RIR) with the blackness coming on her too(7/26 started treatment). Both are getting the fish zole daily, both are older matriarchs at our house and pets. I don't think a vet visit is in the cards.

We started giving them scrambled eggs and they scarfed it up on 7/27. I am hopeful because they are eating again with eggs, broccoli, and now their chicken pellets crushed. I will get a picture of the poo to post. It is still watery and dark green and frequent, but maybe with the increase in eating it will improve in appearance.

My next move is to worm my flock again with Valbazen. I used Ivermectin horse paste on July 3 and 13th. Because of the Blackhead, I was worried that they have cecal worms that weren't caught that gave them the blackhead. The buff is thin, 1.5kg, and shakes her head more than usual.I don't want the cecal worms to perforate her intestinal tract and then deal with peritonitis. So happy they are eating again. No weight gain on the scale yet. Hoping they DON'T have a secondary infection like cocci or e. coli to deal with. I have a microscope, wish I was trained to be able to identify it reliably.

Quote: Source: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/poultry/histomoniasis/overview_of_histomoniasis_in_poultry.html

Quote: Source:


Can you get any Baytril? I think if she were mine I would add Baytril.

-Kathy

 

[SDChickMom]

Very interesting read, rather bleak. I see the secondary infection note and have Corrid on hand. I don't have Baytril. They are still on Fish zole, add Corrid and Valbazen? Seems like a lot. I was going to worm, but now I think the Corrid and wait how long before the Valbazen? posting poo picture too. Thank you for the opinion. I saw your link. I am going with 1.5tsp/gal in the drinking water to start.

Taken 7/28. Decided the yellow thing was intestinal lining.


Taken today 7/30. Reminds me of photos with coccidiosis

 

[casportpony]

Wow, that yellow thing looks more like infection than lining. FWIW, I have given metronidazole, Safeguard, Corid, and Baytril at the same time on many occasions.

-Kathy

 

[SDChickMom]

I didn't know what the yellow was, I just figured "not worm". I really appreciate the FWIW. I *might* start the Valbazen too.... I squirted about 5ml of the Corid mixed water(1.5tsp/gal) into each of the hens to kick start the antibiotic and make sure they got some in their system. Now to look at your link for Valbazen doses... found orally, undiluted. 1/4 cc for standard size birdsAlbendazole 11.36% (equivalent to 113.6 mg/ml). I will look for a dosage based on chicken weight though.

 

[casportpony]

I didn't know what the yellow was, I just figured "not worm". I really appreciate the FWIW. I *might* start the Valbazen too.... I squirted about 5ml of the Corid mixed water(1.5tsp/gal) into each of the hens to kick start the antibiotic and make sure they got some in their system. Now to look at your link for Valbazen doses...

You can make a Corid drench with 1/2 teaspoon of powder to 10 ml of water, then give 0.34 ml per pound orally once a day for 1-3 days. This can be done in addition to the medicated water.

The most common Valbazen dose is 0.08 ml per pound and repeat in 10 days, though I suspect that to get all capillary worms it might be wise to give it 3-5 days in a row, that or a larger dose, but I'm still looking into this...

-Kathy

 

[SDChickMom]

I am not getting updates to know that you have posted. So, I am sorry my reply lags. I really appreciate the help, Kathy. I like that you are in CA and in Gilroy. Same timezone and similar weather since we aren't on the coast down here. I drove through Gilroy many times when I was in school at SLO.

I REALLY appreciate the drench information. I felt like the water supplement alone wasn't enough for an active infection. I do think I need to battle those worms. So, I am going to worm dose in the morning and Corid drench in the evening. Thank you for being such a wonderful resource to those of us learning. I hope to give back as a resource locally, or when my 3 human kids are more self-sufficient.