Canker sores

[biophiliac]

Well, I'm sad to report that Polly did not survive. I've been raising chickens for just over three years (and she was nearly three herself). I've not lost but a couple, but it is always hard. I believe the canker was too advanced by the time that I spotted it. I'll add the acidified copper sulfate to my other hens' water tomorrow when it arrives as a precautionary measure. I believe it is recommended to administer about 5 days, just in case any of the rest of the flock are infected, and three days a month afterwards for prevention. Does anyone know how long I am to discard eggs?

Regarding the parasitic infection that brings this on, I have not really been seeing any doves or pigeons in my yard. We have had a lot of rain over the last couple of months, and the girls love to drink water puddled on the ground when I let them run. And I am sure other wild birds do it too, so possibly this is how Polly picked up the parasite?

Thanks again for all the replies and advice!

Sorry for your loss. Canker is a nasty problem as it can spread into other areas besides the throat, I think that's when it tends to be fatal. Pigeons also pick it up from somewhere, I'll have to refresh my memory on the vectors involved. Again, my condolences.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm so sorry for your loss

It's very possible that drinking from puddles could have been the source of the canker. No way to know for sure. Hot rainy weather seems to make this type of thing flourish.

Use the Acidified Copper Sulfate 3days out of each month. I cannot find any reference stating there is an egg withdrawal period. Everything I have looked up has similar wording like "Acidified Copper Sulfate is a soluble powder for the nutritional supplementation of feed or drinking water for poultry & turkeys." I can only assume since it's used as a "nutritional supplement" there is no withdrawal.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

I have to agree that I have not seen anything for withdrawal time very sorry you lost her

 

[Eggcessive]

A necropsy performed by the state vet or a college poultry lab might be a good thing to get, if Polly's body can be refrigerated, and sent on ice. Many things can cause the yellow plaques in the throat such as wet or diphtheritic fowl pox, ILT, and other respiratory diseases. It may well have been canker ( Trichmoniasis) though if she died so quickly. Many say that it has a bad odor. But I would try to get a necropsy. Make sure that you get a good source for a dosage of acidified copper sulfate, since it can be toxic if overdosed or used improperly. Jefferspets sells it online and gives a dosage for 3 days. Many pigeon medicine online stores also sell products for canker, if that is what is happening.

 

[sbhkma]

So on the copper sulfate, is it 3 consecutive days I assume? Treating a bird that I'm pretty sure has canker. No cheesy looking stuff, but she has two things in her beak-one toward the back on the roof of her mouth and one inside where you might expect teeth. They look like human canker sores. Treating with Metronidazole 125mg twice a day. For what it's worth, I've used Fish Zole before when I had aquariums and this stuff is made to be tossed into tanks and dissolves quickly. Break a pill in half, toss in a little warm water, wait a minute and stir it up. She's been dewormed with valbazen, is getting oxytetracyline and I just noticed the canker-sore looking spots in her mouth two days ago. She was doing poorly and we weren't sure why-vet suggested oxy and after 3 days I saw she wasn't eating/drinking. So she's in the house being tubed. And medicated *sigh*. But she's gained 1 1/2 ounces in 4 days and is looking much perkier. She was eating a little bit of her 24% showbird feed this morning.

 

[sbhkma]

And yeah.. we've got so many doves around here it's ridiculous. Mourning doves, white winged doves, inca doves. They're everywhere. Never had a problem with canker before.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

can you post a picture of the sore?

 

[sbhkma]

I'll get one later today. Takes two to do that! Sophie's sweet, but still not super keen on having her mouth opened up.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

and i love your Arab he's very handsome

 

[sbhkma]

Thanks. Would you believe he's a straight Egyptian rescue with amazing breeding? Even managed to get his papers. He's a handful, but he loves the chickens.