Corid/VetRx

[petra56]

I just started using Corid on my chickens today. One had diarrhea real bad and another one was making gargling sounds like it was having a hard time breathing. I read multiple threads about these and came to the conclusion I needed to use Corid. I also got some VetRx and was wondering if I could use it under her wings at the same time that I'm using the Corid? The chicken that has diarrhea is eating and drinking fine but the one having a hard time breathing isn't eating or drinking on her own. I'm giving her the meds mixed with water in a dropper. I've tried to feed her some boiled egg but she won't eat it. This all started with her yesterday. Please help! I'm beginning to think I'm not cut out to raise chickens!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I'm sorry your birds are sick. I know how disappointing that is especially as you start out in chicken keeping. Unfortunately, while chicken keeping is a lot of fun and very rewarding, it will be periodically challenged with some sort of problem. That's life. Let me encourage you that it is rewarding to fight through those challenges and grow in your skills as you grow your flock. But you will "lose some and win some."

The VetRx will help with the congestion of the one bird, which you can use with the Corid.

However, Corid is Amprolium which is used only for a coccidioisis out break. Coccidiosis is an overgrowth of the protozoa coccidia which lives in all soil and can cause chicken "dysentery" for those birds who have not built up an immunity or have had their immunity challenged or are in an area that the coccidia have suddenly had a population explosion (warm, wet, fecal filled environment). The typical symptoms of coccidiosis is bloody diarrhea and listless birds who sit around huddled with ruffled feathers. Sometimes the overgrowth is higher in the intestinal tract and does not produce bloody diarrhea but merely watery diarrhea. However, the huddled ruffled appearance remains the same. Corid does not present with respiratory symptoms. That is something else possibly a secondary infection from a weakened immune or more likely a viral infection causing both diarrhea and respiratory problems.

So, if your birds were fine one day (yesterday), and then both suddenly began to present with diarrhea and the one bird with rails (coughing, wheezing) and difficulty breathing, it is not likely coccidiosis.

The only way to know for certain what you are dealing with is to have a vet do an exam and get fecal cultures. Many of us cannot afford to do that with our chickens, or have no access to a vet who will treat chickens, so the next best thing is to look at the symptoms and treat the most common causes.

Viruses spread quickly and start quickly and produce diarrhea and respiratory symptoms. I suspect your birds may have a virus. VetRx under the wings can help clear nasal passages. You can also put garlic mash in their feed or garlic in their water. I've used elderberry tincture with success for Infectious Bronchitis (which you may be dealing with). Antibiotics and Corid will not help with viral infections.

The other possibility is bacterial. That tends to move more slowly. You can also get secondary bacterial infections from viral illness as the lungs are congested. To aid that, you have to have antibiotics. It is getting harder to get a hold of antibiotics from feed stores now as the FDA has cracked down on non-veterinary sales to prevent overuse in poultry (as it sees all poultry as possible food producers for the general public).

If you can, try to get your hands on Sulmet, a sulphur drug, that will address both coccidiosis and a lot of bacterial infections. It is strong, so you only use it for 2 or 3 days.

The other option is to get an antibiotic like Tylan or such, if you can find it. Again, the FDA has made that pretty impossible without a vet script.

Some recommend oregano oil, however, most preparations on the market do not have enough of the effective ingredient to do much good.

Without meds, and even often with them, your best care is to keep them hydrated with something like chick saver for vitamins and electrolytes.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

The other thought is check your ventilation where your birds are located.

Since it is winter, many of us have birds that are being cooped up in close quarters for long periods of time.

Ammonia build up and fungal growth can cause respiratory problems.

Coccidiosis tends to crop up in warm weather much more than cold (as freezing temperatures kill, or at least put into stasis, the oocyts that the protozoa hatch from).

Unless you've got their food and water under a heat lamp. Then you can create an environment that could grow coccidia.

Coccidiosis can weaken and kill birds very quickly, so Corid would be a good treatment eye droppered into them if that is what your dealing with.

The other bird, though, has something else going on, possibly a secondary infection.

However, again, you won't know without a fecal culture if it is possibly coccidia or viral.

LofMc

 

[petra56]

Thank you! I read in a couple of different places if the diarrhea is a "rusty" color to give them Corid so that's the main reason I got that. Then I read that Corid was good for wheezing and respiratory problems. I AM SO CONFUSED! I started with the Corid yesterday, should I stop giving it to them or go ahead with the 5 days? I don't want more problems. I got 5 chickens to start out with about 9 months ago and they've been great. Then I got a few more about 2 months ago and I'm keeping them separate till spring so the will be bigger and it seems like there is always something wrong. I had no idea they would have so many problems. Thank you again.

 

[petra56]

also, I put the one that has the respiratory symptoms in the house last night because I was so worried about her. This morning I went in to give her a little water and her breathing isn't quite so loud BUT it sounds like her stomach is growling. When I tried to feed her some egg last night she wouldn't eat and I tried to put a tiny bit on her beak and then wash it down with the Corid water. Any ideas on how to get food in her stomach? I'm sorry to keep bothering you. All my animals are pets and I get so attached to them. My husband thinks I don't need animals bc I get so upset when something is wrong.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

also, I put the one that has the respiratory symptoms in the house last night because I was so worried about her. This morning I went in to give her a little water and her breathing isn't quite so loud BUT it sounds like her stomach is growling. When I tried to feed her some egg last night she wouldn't eat and I tried to put a tiny bit on her beak and then wash it down with the Corid water. Any ideas on how to get food in her stomach? I'm sorry to keep bothering you. All my animals are pets and I get so attached to them. My husband thinks I don't need animals bc I get so upset when something is wrong.

Since you have the Corid, use it in case what you are dealing with is possibly coccidiosis. It won't hurt them if it isn't. Just follow the instructions on the label.

I would definitely also add the Chick Saver vitamins, probiotics, in the water and dropper that to the one that is not doing so well. Put it in the water of the other.

A little garlic mash would also help.

As to the growling stomach...chickens do not have stomachs for digestion as you and I do. They ingest food which stays in their crop for "holding" until they are ready to "process" it. It then moves through the proventiculous to their gizzard, which contains grit they have swallowed. This is where the majority of the grinding happens to break food down into absorbable potions.. Digestion occurs down the gut. Since little fluid and air occur in the process, you don't hear digestive sounds in a bird like you do mammals and humans.

The "growling" you hear is most likely wheezing and "rails" still within the lungs or possibly air sacs in the neck, which likely indicates congestion. A warm house may help her especially if it is cold outside and she is suffering a bout of CRD (chronic respiratory disease) brought on by MG (mycoplasma gallesepticum) a bacterial infection. MG is prevalent in the environment and often passed on from mother to chick through the egg. Some birds seem more susceptible than others. Once infected, always infected. Stress brings about the "asthma" like attack in vulnerable birds. Stressors can be anything from cold weather, changes in environment, dust, a lowered immune system due to worm overload, etc.

It is very possible you have a case of coccidiosis in the one bird and a case of CRD in the other. Without cultures from the vet, you won't know for certain. All you can do is treat symptoms for the most probable causes using diagnostic charts and experience.

Most bird cecal droppings are "rusty" in color. I will link a poo chart below so you can see the differences. Rusty orange to mustard yellow is likely normal. Cecal droppings are thinner and runnier. Liquid watery poo is not normal (unless it is a very hot day, then they release body heat by having watery droppings). Coccidiosis colored poo is frank, red blood in watery dropping. Stringy pink is normal intestinal shedding.

And you are not bothering anyone. Everyone has to start somewhere. This is what BYC is for. Gaining knowledge for care of one's flock. Happy to do it.

Poo Chart
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive.html



Bird Digestive System
https://poultrykeeper.com/digestive-system-problems/digestive-system-chicken/

LofMc

 

[petra56]

Thank you! Everything you have said has been so helpful. I did bring my polish in last night because I wanted to make sure and give her water with an eye dropper. I gave her some thin oatmeal in a syringe today and when I put her back in the cage I saw her trying to eat some. It also looks like she has been drinking a little by the food crumbs in the bottom of her bowl. I'm going back in and give her some mushed up chicken feed and wash it down with a little water. I'm planning on keeping her in for at least 5 days. So you think I should put the probiotics in the water with the Corid?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Yes you can do that, and it would be good for them.

A healthy gut flora helps keep bacteria and protozoa overgrowth in check by balancing the good stuff with the bad stuff.

I'd also put your bird, when it is drinking water readily, on Apple Cider Vinegar, raw, with the "mother" (use only plastic water dispensers as the vinegar erodes the zinc coating on the galvenized metal causing toxicity). Use about a tablespoon per gallon of water, a teaspoon per quart.

The ACV "mother" feeds the good bacteria which helps hold yeast and protozoa in check. A healthy gut flora is the first defense in the immune system.

Keeping their environment clean, food and water bowls clean and filled with fresh food/water, ACV, probiotics, balanced feed, and avoiding undue stress is 90% of chicken care.

Any time you bring in new birds, you increase your possibilities of introducing disease both to your flock and the new birds.

As a general rule, I place any new incoming birds on medicated chick feed to boost their immune systems with higher vitamins and protein as well as the Amprolium in medicated feed (at a much lower dose than the Corid) to help them build immunity to the strain of coccidia in my soil. You've had your new birds awhile (if I remember correctly), and it came on quickly, so viral was also a likely culprit especially with the rails/wheezing.

Good luck with them. I hope your Polish pulls through.

LofMc

 

[petra56]

Thank you again! Im going to write all this down! Just one more question. I have some probiotics and it says on the package how to mix it with water but it also says to give them another source of clean water along with it. I have Corid in their water now and the directions on it says that it should be their only source of water. So I'm worried about not having a source of clean water along with the probiotics like it says. I'm so sorry to keep asking. I was hand feeding Dolly this morning (holding her) and a white clear bug was crawling on me. They have seven dust under their shavings.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I'd put the Corid and probiotics in a single water source. No worries. There is no need for a second source with the probiotics. That's silly. The only time you have to worry is if there is something in the med that might be interferred by a vitamin...you just have probiotics.

I'd gently dust Dolly with some Seven. She isn't feeling well and not dust bathing as she should be. That can cause some bug overgrowth. Pale bugs crawling generally are lice and easy to get rid of.

Dust under her wings and at her vent with Seven or Poultry Dust (you've got Seven so use that). Dust now. Repeat in 7 days. If needed repeat in 7 days again. No egg withdrawal. No worries. (Technically Seven isn't approved for poultry any more...just because the company didn't re-seek approval which is expensive...but you have pets so that isn't a problem...it's only if you sell meat or eggs.)

Glad to hear Dolly is still with us. I hope she will steadily recover.

LofMc