Denegard Treatment Concerns?

[dsquawker]

So. Will that mean that after treating with Denegard that the chicken will always carry the disease, kind of like chicken pocks? If treating with antibiotics and afterwards, that means the eggs and chicken meat - if culled - is not edible? I'm trying to find some answers as I just discovered one of my chickens sneezing tonight. She is a blue splashed copper maran pullet. She came to me from a local breeder (along with three others). Haven't noticed others sneezing. After I separated her and brought her in the house I cleaned up her now running (clear) nose. We had a huge snow storm last night and got a foot of snow. Its cold out and then I noticed her sneezing. I'm afraid for the worse. I can't sleep for fear that I'll lose all nine hens in my flock. I haven't even had her a whole month yet. She's sleeping inside in proximity to our wood burner to stay warm. Can dogs or humans catch a poultry respiratory disease? Is this like a bird flu virus or something that humans can get? I'm kinda paranoid and scared. I want to try Denegard but don't know where to buy it locally so I can get it sooner than ordering it online and waiting for shipment. I want to try it now on my flock. Can we never eat these birds' eggs again or eat them for meat? Will they always always have that virus/bacteria in their lungs that's causing this sneezing, runny nose, and wheezing? I'm really concerned because I don't think I'm acting fast enough to save my flock.

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Chicken pocks? You mean fowl pox? Once birds are infected with fowl pox, they are immune thereafter to that particular type of fowl pox, the eggs and meat are safe to eat even while they have the disease. Most respiratory diseases, they remain carriers for life. With some of the diseases I wouldnt eat the eggs nor meat, it just depends which disease it is. Remember, denagard is effective on birds infected with mycloplasma type diseases, MG/MS/, the eggs and meat are safe to eat after treatment with denagard, most likely safe to eat even without treatment. Denagard has no effect on any other diseases other than the mycoplasmas. Even after treating with denagard, you have to give your chickens a monthly preventative dose.
Whatever antibiotics you are using, there might be a withdrawal period. There isnt a withdrawal period with denegard. Humans and dogs cant get a respiratory disease from poultry like you're dealing with. Denegard can be ordered from QC Supply. Before you purchase it, make sure you're dealing with MG or MS, this may require bloodwork sent off to a lab to confirm that your bird may have the disease, perhaps a vet can do it for you or send it off to a lab. You could also be dealing with coryza. If you smell a foul odor about the nostrils or head of your sick bird, it's most likely coryza,,,a telltale sign. The only thing you can do for now is keep your sick bird(s) quarantined away from your healthy birds and provide supportive care. Your other option is to cull. Here are some links that'll help you out:
http://www.denagard.com/pig-poultry-public/en/index.shtml
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps034
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps019

 

[dsquawker]

Jim:

Thank you. I did mean Chicken Pox in human because it's an example of something that stays with an organism for life. Nice to know though that fowl pox does exist. I don't know if its Coryza because her face is NOT swollen and she does not have the runs. I was going to pick up five more chickens today but cancelled due to not knowing what is wrong with this chicken. Didn't want to add any new ones and complicate the situation. I'm learning through this incident because I've never experienced this before. This is my second time owning a group of hens. I've got a lot more to see and experience. The sick hen's appetite is ravenous and she's drinking plenty and staying warm. Do things like this sometimes pass?

Angela
(dsquawker)