Effective Treatments for Common Conditions of Chickens by Owners

[Lady of McCamley]

I'd be interested in doing my own fecal floats.

I've got a decent student model microscope (not a toy...used for high school labs).

I've got Sulmet on the shelf with another year on the pull date.

Sadly my Duramycin-10 is past pull date by about 7 months.

I was really surprised to see the Hygromycin B (Durvet Strike III and Rooster Boster Multi Wormer) on the hit list as it is used for worms since it is absorbed so poorly in the body and eggs...it stays in the intestinal tract.

LofMc

 

[casportpony]

I'd be interested in doing my own fecal floats.

I've got a decent student model microscope (not a toy...used for high school labs).

I've got Sulmet on the shelf with another year on the pull date.

Sadly my Duramycin-10 is past pull date by about 7 months.

I was really surprised to see the Hygromycin B (Durvet Strike III and Rooster Boster Multi Wormer) on the hit list as it is used for worms since it is absorbed so poorly in the body and eggs...it stays in the intestinal tract.

LofMc

I think that @KsKingBee said that his Sulfamethazine (Sulmet, SMZ 454, etc), was *not* as effective as sulfadimethoxine (SulfaMed G, Albon, etc) in treating coccidiosis. Hopefullt he will comment here with the various results from his fecal tests.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1047614/doing-fecal-floats-at-home

 

[TwoCrows]

@TwoCrows

Excellent information. I presume you get the Copper Sulfate from the feed store? Do you follow a pull time for eggs?

My recurring problem has been worms and suspicion of mild coccidiosis.

I add the ACV into water, and try to keep clean grounds, but on 1/3 acre after 6 plus years, build up is inevitable especially with Oregon's typical milder winters and wetter seasons. (I laugh at removing "puddles" from your area....uh, I'd have to leave Oregon.)

Thank you for your valuable input.

LofMc

I left some links to where you can get this stuff in my last post. I get most of my stuff, including the Copper Sulfate from Twin City Poultry.

I seem to always have a mild Cocci problem going all the time around here. It's everywhere in the ground and it overwhelms the birds no matter how much exposure they get to it. The Copper Sulfate will take care of Cocci and most worms. Not sure about tapes, but I don't have any issues with Round Worms at all using the Copper Sulfate. Some people use this stuff like a wormer and dose their birds every other month for 3 to 5 days. Really cleans out the gut of everything!

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh and Kathy, they also recommend adding Metronidazole along with Copper Sulfate for bad cases of Canker. The two combined are supposed to kick Canker's butt.

 

[KsKingBee]

Oh, almost forgot... @KsKingBee has also confirmed via fecal tests that Valbazen (albendazole) @ 7.5 ml per gallon of water for one day, repeat in 10 days, will treat large round worms.

-Kathy

And cecal worms.

 

[KsKingBee]

That's good to know. What I really need to know is what amount will treat capillary worms!

You know I hate to assume anything but, if it is like Safeguard it should take five days at the same dose. My vet reference does not list albendazole, (Valbazen) for round, cecal, or caps, but 'I' know it works on roundworms and cecal worms.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

@Lady of McCamley , do you think you will start doing your own fecals?

-Kathy

Seriously considering it...I have a pair (well had...just lost one to a coon....grrrr) Cream Legbar that I purchased as juveniles that I suspicion had/have a lurking coccidiosis.

I don't like to overuse meds, and I don't like to treat if I don't know what I'm dealing with, so after the initial period that I put all transitioned birds onto Amprolium based feed (to protect juvenile transfers), then use Sulmet if I see any evidence (it's what I can get here), they looked "okay," and I put them in the flock.

But these 2 CL have always remained a bit odd. They didn't have "diarrhea" per se...no runny stuff, no bloody stools...and weren't sickly acting...they just were thinnish and had noticeably excessive stool amounts that were paler. .

I thought worms (and treated with not much improvement), so was surprised when I saved myself some money with an extra feed bag of medicated, they perked right up after being on it for a couple of weeks. I bought another bag, and I see them and my hens looking fatter and plumper. (And it wasn't a change in protein amount or feed brand).

Hmmmm....so a fecal would let me know if my suspicions are correct....but I'm not running to a vet for that....no chicken vets anywhere close, and I've not been happy with the cluelessness of the local pet vets....most are very resistant to treat chickens and don't offer much by way of treatments.

So yeah...I'd do a fecal. After all....how hard can it be? You take some poo, I assume put that in a test tube with water, shake a little, then put a drop of said solution under the 'scope. It's what to know what to look for.

I'll check out that link. Thank you.

(And yes, my greatest constraint will be to resist using it for a lesson for somebody

LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Went to the feed store today, and my concerns were validated.

Anything for chickens has been reduced down to simply feed and vitamins.

The Tylosin, Duramycin, Sulmet, Hygromycin B, are completely off the shelves.

I can go to the cattle and goat section to see the off label wormers, but it was nice to be on FDA approval since I like to sell eggs.

I'll have to go back to trying herbals and other remedies.

I really appreciate the information coming in from this list.

I'll update with some of my remedies when I have more time...however, I put them aside for the "real" stuff as herbals take more effort and more time and don't really eliminate a problem if you get an outbreak.

LofMc

 

[aart]

So yeah...I'd do a fecal. After all....how hard can it be? You take some poo, I assume put that in a test tube with water, shake a little, then put a drop of said solution under the 'scope. It's what to know what to look for.

That is key....big time!

Finding illustrations with magnifications labeled is something I had a very hard time finding in the past when I was studying koi parasites.
Pretty easy to prepare slides, tho there are different methods, it can be very difficult to ID what you are looking at.
Dealing with depth of field and scanning a slide...can drive you nuts.... plus the little buggers move-haha!
I highly recommend a mechanical stage for your scope, really helps with scanning.

Applies to using any meds, if you don't know exactly what you're treating...it's all moot and could be harmful in the long run....oops.