giving antibiotics

[smallfarmer]

I just gave some antibiotics to my chickens in all their watering places....I also have a potbelly pig and put it in her water because they use hers too. I have a pregnant goat and did not put any in her water. I'm not sure if they will get the right amount of medication of they end up drinking the goat water because they don't like the medicated water. Also....do I dump each days water out of the waterer and put in new water with new medication each day or do I leave what is there and replenish it as I usually do? I appreciate your help....I am new to this.

 

[jjthink]

Why are you giving antibiotic?
JJ

 

[smallfarmer]

Yesterday I noticed one of my Ameracaunas not eating and looking sluggish. When I picked her up she barfed up fluid that looked kind of like human spit. I put her into a small coop by herself. The lady at the feed store said when the weather changes and it gets wet chickens can start to get sick and some people treat them even before they get sick. I bought the antibiotic (Terra something) and used it today. When I went in to see the chicken she was eating and actually seemed better than yesterday.

 

[katrinag]

You should never treat a whole flock unless they are sick. The hen in question could of just had water in crop.

 

[smallfarmer]

thanks for the reply.....I am just starting out with chickens and have been relying on the lady at our local tractor supply. she said some people just put in the meds as a preventative when the weather changes... The hen had more energy tonight and was eating again...I'll check her again tomorrow and let her rejoin the flock if she seems ok

 

[sammi]

whenever this happens..always check the crop..
since you say you are new..
the crop is a small sac found near the bottom of the neck on top of the breast, slightly to the bird's right..

check at roost time..it should feel full.
recheck in the morning before she eats..it should feel empty, or flat..
feel for any lump or grainy feeling..and check for sour odor.
see how it feels..hard, like a balloon..soft and squishy, etc..

always check for any changes in the droppings..and describe them..color and consistency. sometimes this helps diagnose the problem.

if you should ever have to treat your flock..
it's best to confine them in a smaller area, such as a pen, or kennel..until treatment is complete.

usually tho..only the sick bird should be treated, and she should be separated to a warm safe place..this is for her sake, and to help keep any infection from spreading to the others.

what all do you feed?

 

[smallfarmer]

I feed pellets from the feed store, and they free range for the entire day.

 

[speckledhen]

I would not have given any antibiotic. TSC employees push Terramycin on everyone for any reason. VERY bad idea! I've live in the mtns and we have snow, rain, wind, some single digit nights and that never made my birds sick. Germs cause illness. Chickens are well-insulated from cold and wet. I never give antibiotics for anything except a serious injury. Only weakens the flock. Separate any sick-acting birds far away from the flock and observe. One thing to always check in winter is the ammonia levels since people tend to close their coops up too tight with not enough airflow.

Feedstore personnel are notoriously ignorant. They give bad advice on chickens 95% of the time.

 

[sammi]

"Feedstore personnel are notoriously ignorant. They give bad advice on chickens 95% of the time."

very true...I have been in feed stores and heard the most stupid advice being given to customers..
it makes you wonder if these stores have stock in terramycin..

they either give the people the terramycin..or a blank stare.

ugh.

but after all..many of the employees are young people who are just there for the paycheck and simply don't know anything about chickens.
they aren't vets...

 

[speckledhen]

Yeah, I know they aren't vets, but do they know it, LOL? When did it get impossible for people to say "I dont know"?

Another point is that Terramycin is a weak antibiotic anyway, pretty useless for bad infections but strong enough to create antibiotic resistance when given over and over in the absence of any real problem. It masks symptoms that you really need to see to diagnose and know if you should cull or treat and what to treat with.