Can I combine these two meds?? PICS ADDED and Crop question

[horseemom]

Can I put Sulmet (Sodium Sulfamethazine) in the same water as Oxytetra-A (Oxytetracycline Hydrochloride)

I am not sure what is wrong and I don't want to miss Cocci! No sign of blood in the stools but the other symptoms match? Fluffed, lethargic, skinny, poor balance.

 

[mypicklebird]

The symptoms match so many things- a sick chicken will be fluffed, skinny, tired. What would be useful in helping the group help you would be to provide more info. Read the sticky at the top of the page about posting. Things like age, gender, diet, set up, how long you have had it, where did it come from, diarrhea, eating anything, upper respiratory signs--ect.
Sulmet would help treat coccidia and some kinds of bacteria, oxytet will treat some kinds of bacteria. Instead of grabbing OTC meds and giving when you do not know what you are treating, try harder to figure out what you are treating.
And in answer to your questions- I wouldn't mix the meds together, I do not know if they will inactivate each other, but the chicken will probably not drink the water as it will taste even worse than with adding one med.

 

[silkiechicken]

I agree, find out what is wrong before drugging.

Use sulmet when not needed can damage internals even more and cause absorption problems. Using antibiotics when not needed will increase the proportion of resistant bacteria and could make it nearly impossible to treat the bird when you really need it... and... could risk you picking up resistant bacterial strains on your own skin making the antibiotics not work on yourself when YOU need it.

A fecal float test can confirm cocci. Any vet can do it with a fecal sample.

 

[horseemom]

Okay, I can drop a fecal off for the vet. I asked about a gram stain, and the one vet said everything comes up in a chicken and they are not effective, but not being a poultry vet, he probably didn't remember float test. I (meaning my husband) can't justify a whole vet visit fee for a chick.

Breed:Buff Polish
age: 8 weeks , got at 1 week was shipped from hatchery then bought from local
gender: pullet?
diet: Veggie grower crumbles/ started to fatten
set up: In with 5 others her age and breed (no syptoms). Share coop with 3 silikes under 1 year old but seperated with wire wall. No access to outside. Was mouse poops in water a few days ago.
diarrhea: No, but sitting and pooping gets messy. Poops are very thick and formed
eating anything Yes, I have been supplementing mealworms to fatten and stimulate. Does scratch a bit, but loses balance.
upper respiratory signs: none. Good clear voice. Peep!

Hope that helps?? Never had a sick chicken before?

 

[horseemom]

Vet said nothing came back in the fecal?? They did a thorough panel on it. Maybe the Oxy Tetra-A already got it and she is recovering? SO no Sulmet, thanks for the heads up.

Any other ideas what could be causing this? Some kind of mite? I dusted her with DE a few days ago.

 

[silkiechicken]

Is she eating enough? Can she see very well? Sometimes crested types get pushed around and don't get enough to eat so malnutrition catches up with them as they grow. Also... if it is just a balance thing, crested breeds can have a vaulted skull, and thus an exposed brain which is prone to getting damaged. Brain damage could lead to listness ness and poor cordination in even an otherwise once healthy bird.

Else... I don't know.

 

[horseemom]

She is eating (and drinking) well. Her immature crest isn't in her way, she can spot a mealworm container at 50 yards

I only have crested chickens to keep the playing field level. Maybe she wasn't getting enough food once they were put in the coop? There I can't monitor like when they were inside, but she slowed in growth around then.

It is the inactivity and flopped out wings and puffed up feathers that gets me

Should I be warming her more than house temp? Even when it is warm with the fire going or portable heater in her room she remains fluffed.

I love my little chicks and have grown so fond of them, they really are pets. Unfortunately no vets around here even DO chickens, as there is no money in them. Most serious chicken farmers cull. I think backyard chicken pets are becoming more common and maybe some vets will refresh their poultry skills? So what if we only paid a few dollars (okay I got ripped off and she gave me a DEAL at $10/chick!) for our pet, I guess it is like the "free kitten" mentallity. Disposable? NO. ...Okay, sorry, back to topic

 

[horseemom]

Here are a few pics of my sick chick, Tina. (Buff laced(?) (Bearded?)Polish) Notice the low carried wings, hunched posture, tail down? She seems a little less fluffed today and her balance seems a bit improved. Any further imput on her? She seems to be getting a bit better.

Crop question: How big should the crop be? I checked it tonight and it is walnut sized, firm but not rock hard. If she had crop issues (from looking at posts on here) she wouldn't be eating right? I noticed she was eating hay seeds from the bedding, but don't think she was getting actual hay. My Daughter was holding hay so she could wrestle the seeds off the end. Is there a safer bedding? Shredded paper? Shavings are too messy in the house, that is what she had in the coop.