Gurgling chicken, antibiotics?

[Peter.J]

Hi, i’ve Got a sick chicken. She’s a 1yr old speckled Sussex, this afternoon i noticed she was sleeping and gurgling. She’s almost too weak to hold onto the roost. I separated her from the flock (25 other chickens). Just really hoping other ones don’t get sick too. I bought a couple Cochins from a guy up the road last week so i’m Guessing they may be the vectors...
My question is: i can’t find tetramycin anywhere around here, but Petsmart sells erythromycin powder for fish 200mg/10gallon H2O packets of powder.
I’m debating on treating her obviously, but also just treating the whole flock’s water proactively. I’m going to be gone for a few days starting Monday so i’m Not in a position to monitor. Good idea?
Also, we plan on eating these chickens down the road as we get a rotating flock going, will treating them with antibiotics render the meat unsuitable for consumption?
Thanks for any tips or suggestions,
Pete

 

[micstrachan]

Hi there. Sorry you have not received help. I think @azygous is knowledgeable on administering fish antibiotics to chickens. Is your hen still with us?

 

[azygous]

Dosage Administration erythromycin
Poultry:
0.5-1 gm / 1 lit of drinking water for 3-5 days

 

[Peter.J]

Thank you azygous and micstrachan, yes she is still with us; she is in quarantine but not doing so hot. I’m going to go to Petsmart in the morning and will mix up some water.
Do you guys think i should treat the whole flock prophylacticly?
Normally i might just wait and observe things but we’re going to be gone for a few days so i’m hedging towards just treating them... Just hate to abuse antibiotics...

 

[micstrachan]

I would not treat the rest of the flock without symptoms, but that’s just me.
Not sure about the consumption question, as my flock are pets only. Good luck!

 

[azygous]

Listen to your own intuition. You aren't abusing antibiotics. If you mixed it in their water as a matter of daily practice, as commercial factory farms do, that's abuse.

 

[azygous]

I would take a wait and see approach on treating the rest, myself, but if I wasn't going to be around, I believe I'd go ahead and treat. I'm sure you have visions of coming home to the rest being sick.

 

[Peter.J]

Yeah, thanks guys, i think risk/benefit makes sense to just treat the flock. If we were going to be home to monitor that would be different, but i would feel real bad coming home to a bunch of sick chickens when i could have done something.
Not sure where they got it but I think i may have to be a little more careful introducing new birds to the flock.

 

[Peter.J]

Ok, i dosed their 5 gallon waterer which lasts about 5 days for them which is right on par with the dosing guidelines. Also gave the sick one her one dose with water but she looks even worse today so i’m Not very optimistic she’s going to make it... Thanks for everyone’s input.
I’m kinda wondering if it wasn’t the Cochins i just bought because then i would think they would be showing symptoms too but they’re fine... Could have just been something a wild bird brought in, who knows...

 

[azygous]

Yes, wild birds transmit a number of diseases to flocks, but our flocks can become resistant to most of them with good care so they develop strong immune systems.

The Cochins could easily be carriers of a virus and never show symptoms because they are resistant. Your chickens weren't resistant so at least one has developed symptoms. The others may not have ever developed symptoms and will hopefully develop resistance, too. It's how viruses roll.

That's the good news. The not-so-good news is if it is a virus that has sickened your one hen, all of the chickens now carry it. They may never become sick, though.