Chicken Antibiotic Recommendations?

[MysteryChicken]

What are the best antibiotics for chickens, dosages, & withdrawal periods?

Two young birds of mine(None of the adults), have picked up an odd respiratory illness. A, 6 month old, & a 4 ½ month old.

Symptoms include for the worst one: Rails/crackling, weeping eyes(no foam/bubbles), occasional fluffing up, occasional gasping, occasional shivers, coughs, & foaming out the mouth/bubbly drool.
No odor, no diarrhea.

Least severe one just has Rails/crackling, occasional gasp, & cough.

Anyone know what this maybe?

 

[casportpony]

Personally, I would use Baytril (enrofloxacin), and I would give 20 mg/kg by injection in the breast once a day *or* 15mg/kg orally twice a day for 3-5 days. If they did not show significant improvement by day three, I would stop giving it. But Baytril (enrofloxacin) is prohibited for use in poultry. You can read about why it's prohibited here:
Prohibited Drugs and the Reasons They are Prohibited

Even though it's prohibited, many vets do prescribe it. Some vets, like my vet, will have you sign a waiver saying that you will not eat birds or eggs from birds being treated with it.

If you decide you want to buy some, google "Baytril for birds" for the oral liquid, or Enroxil 10% for the injectable. The injectable can be given orally.


If you want to know exactly what disease you're dealing with, have them tested:
https://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm

If it's mycoplasma, you could try Tylan (tylosin). The dose is 17 mg per pound three times a day.

 

[casportpony]

I did, & I found fish Amoxi. Just unsure how big the bottles are.

Get the 250 mg tablets. They come in 500 mg, and those are too hard to dose.

I also forgot, I do have Amoxicillin 10% powder that can be mixed in water. Never used, received by mistake when I ordered the pills.

That could work. 10% means that 1 gram of powder has 100 mg of amoxicillin. How much do your sick birds weigh?

I hate calling, but okay.

Calling?

 

[casportpony]

And do you by chance have a gram scale?

 

[casportpony]

I have a food scale that's has 10lb capacity, & has grams, plus ounces.

Yeah, that's not really accurate enough to weigh powder. But try this... Place an empty bowl on your scale, zero it, then place three level tablespoons of the powder in the bowl. Let me know what it weighs.

 

[casportpony]

I'll have to do that tomorrow. It's getting late here. The sun is setting.

If you want to give them something tonight, give the bigger one 3/4 teaspoon and the smaller one 1/2 teaspoon.

 

[casportpony]

I've got a 1 gallon waterer. Not sure how I'd give separate doses. Wanted to do it this morning.

Do not mix it in the waterer, give it to them orally.

 

[casportpony]

I'd still have to dissolve the powder in water for the syringe though?
It's a 1ml, syringe I have.

Yes. Mix the powder with enough water to dissolve it, then syringe it 1 ml at a time until it's gone.

 

[casportpony]

Would an Amoxicillin work? I don't want to use something that's prohibited in poultry.

It might. The dose is 57 mg per pound twice a day for 7-10 days.

 

[casportpony]

Suggestions on where I can get the best amount of milligrams of Amoxicillin? I was only able to get 10mg, & didn't realize until I ordered it.

Google amoxicillin for fish 250 mg.

Does the PCR test cost anything? The site is alittle confusing.

Yes. Not sure how much. Call them.