Effective Treatments for Common Conditions of Chickens by Owners

[KsKingBee]

So I was hoping that "Acidified Copper Sulfate" would be as effective as everyone says it is, but I recently had a pigeon with canker that I used it on and it did not make a difference.

Perhaps this is just a really stubborn case?

-Kathy

Kathy, look into a product from Medpet called 4 in 1 powder, it was developed for treating pigeons canker, e.coli, paratyphoid, and coccidiosis.

 

[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

 

[Teila]

Subscribing! I know for a fact that I am not going to have anything knowledgeable to add but after reading the posts to date, pretty sure I am going to learn heaps! Thank You

[PS. My head hurts now, I need coffee ]

 

[Lady of McCamley]

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
How much of the Copper Sulfate do you use?

I looked at both links, and it shows how much for nutritional additive, but you mentioned "at higher doses" it kills stuff off.

What doses do you use? For how long?

Do you need to pull eggs?

Thanks
LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Subscribing! I know for a fact that I am not going to have anything knowledgeable to add but after reading the posts to date, pretty sure I am going to learn heaps! Thank You

[PS. My head hurts now, I need coffee ]

Welcome aboard Teila...I'm sure you've gleaned some home remedies from your land down under

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.

 

[TwoCrows]

Quote: I use the recommend amount suggested on the packaging and no more. Research also seems to claim that 1/4 teaspoon Copper per gallon of water is a good amount for killing off yeasts, bacteria, cocci and other such nasties. (I have read online that some people will use more than this per gallon, I never have, and a 1/4 tsp seems to work for me. I worry about toxicity with this stuff and I follow manufactures recommendations). Make a fresh batch daily and use it for 5 to 7 days. I wouldn't go passed 7 days because the Copper could become toxic, however if a bird is starting to respond but is not well yet...what I have done in this case, (I recently had a doughy crop like this....she wasn't healed but was responding well at day 7) I pulled her off of the Copper for a couple of days to allow her system to flush some of the Copper out and started another round of it a couple days later. The last round worked and she was good enough to stop with the copper a week later. I then began the natural treatments....ACV, Probiotics, other antifungal foods, etc....and she healed up completely a couple of weeks later. (yeast infections can linger for months on end and need to be worked on for quite some time. Yeast infections are very stubborn)

There is a 1 week egg and meat withdrawal after using Copper Sulfate at these levels.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

As promised on this thread, the research, as able, to back up the remedies.

I found this on Copper Sulfate...it is organic certified for agricultural use, both animal and plant. However, that organic certification is due to "sunset" June 2017. I've no idea what they plan to do after that...could be renewal, or study further.

Here is the USDA article for it. In water line use as an antifungal, copper sulfate is exempt from any oversight. I'm not sure if the nutritional level is similar to the water line use level or not.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Copper Sulfate 3 TR 2015.pdf


and toxicology...lethal at higher doses, and it is toxic, so wear gloves when handling and avoid getting it on you or inhaling (which shouldn't be hard to do in the very small quantities used for the birds) but good caution to know.
http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/extoxnet/carbaryl-dicrotophos/copper-sulfate-ext.html


@TwoCrows Do you happen to have any of your research to link to show the effectiveness of Copper Sulfate?


LofMc