Blackhead

[mdewitt]

My chicken recently died from blackhead. I want to make sure my other chickens are safe and I want to prevent the disease from the rest of my flock. Any advice or remedies? My ffa advisors aren’t familiar with poultry so I’m a little lost...

 

[dawg53]

Are you certain it was Blackhead?
Histomoniasis is a protozoa. The cecal worm is the host. A chicken eats an infected insect or earthworm and then the chicken becomes infected with the protozoa.
You have to eliminate cecal worms by worming your birds. I recommend worming your birds with Valbazen liquid cattle/sheep wormer. It will eliminate other worms as well.
Use a syringe without a needle to administer it. Dosage is 1/2ml given to each chicken orally. Repeat again in 10-14 days.
If another one of your chickens is diagnosed with Blackhead, treatment is Metronidazole 250mg given twice a day for 5 days. You'll need a vets prescription.

 

[pbaros]

Are you certain it was Blackhead?
Histomoniasis is a protozoa. The cecal worm is the host. A chicken eats an infected insect or earthworm and then the chicken becomes infected with the protozoa.
You have to eliminate cecal worms by worming your birds. I recommend worming your birds with Valbazen liquid cattle/sheep wormer. It will eliminate other worms as well.
Use a syringe without a needle to administer it. Dosage is 1/2ml given to each chicken orally. Repeat again in 10-14 days.
If another one of your chickens is diagnosed with Blackhead, treatment is Metronidazole 250mg given twice a day for 5 days. You'll need a vets prescription.

Thanks for the input. I will check with my vet. Happy chicks means happy eggs!