chickens dying with what seems to be respitory problem.

[Tpeterson]

Please help,
My daughter has brought home about 25 chickens. Some she purchased as chicks and others she recieved from a friend. They seem to be slowly dying. It seems I lose on every couple of months. The one I see dying go quite quickly. they act as if they can not breath and have no strenght. I lost one today in the same mannor. She was almost 1 year old but the major difference wass that she was bleeding from here sinus. After death I see that her but was a funny light brown color poop. I really need help I feel so bad for these birds but cant seem to help them.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Duramycin powder mixed in the birds waterer. You can get it in the Farm and Fleet supply. Instructions on how to get to a certain strength which I think you'll need the full 800mg for respiratory infections x 10 days. you'll need to throw out eggs 21 days after the last dosing. seperate the obviously ill from the healthy appearing.

Check that, by the sounds of it you may as well just give to all I'm guessing.

 

[Tpeterson]

thank you,
Cal ranch suggested I use Terra-Vet 10 (tetracycline) Is the duramyacyn better? If so I will find some. I have the Terra vet in there water now.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

They are both Tetracycline. I'm so glad you got it in there already. Hope it saves some birds for you.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Make sure you are doing it for the full 10-14 days as you want those bacteria dead-dead, and not coming back resistant to the antibiotic.

 

[Tpeterson]

thank you, I am thinking that you are correct. I have been given antibiotics each time one dies but it was from a vet and only enough to last about 3 to 4 days. I will give the full 14 days 2 times a day as package suggested hope this stops the problem. I thought I was over it and just ordered 25 chics. I must have this cleaned up before they are put in with the others.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Oh my gosh. For sure. Those little ones--it wouldn't take much. So sorry this is happening to you. I think I'd get the old litter out of there when some of this starts clearing and maybe some bleach water spray, or something along that lines and just spray and let it set on the coop walls, ledges, roosts, what have you. It's a lot of extra work I'm sure, but it might go a long way for making things right for the new babies coming in when they're ready to join the others especially. IDK. I'd do it after a couple days and then do it again after the two weeks are up. IDK if that's overkill but maybe safe than sorry.....?

 

[Tpeterson]

Good Idea, I will follow your suggestion. can't be to safe.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Got to thinking about this...I wonder too about the bleach fumes...if that would be hard on respiratory tract...? They're sensitive that way even when they are healthy. Maybe do a search on a good cleaner for chickens after such a thing. Gosh Good luck with everything.

 

[cafarmgirl]

NON activated Oxine AH is a better choice, no fumes, you can even fog a coop with the birds inside. It is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral.

The problem with this situation is that you do have some kind of respiratory disease going on and as long as any of that current, infected flock remain, the disease remains as well. Even if these birds get over it, with most poultry respiratory diseases they remain carriers with the potential to infect any new birds you bring in.

Next time you loose one you might want to consider have a necropsy done by a state lab, some state labs do it for free, and see if you can pin down exactly what you are dealing with.