Head Cold: What medication?

[Kedreeva]

This may have been answered before... one of our hens seems to have a bit of a head cold. She's got a snotty nose, sneezing, and she coughs sometimes, sounds like she's got mucus in her throat as well, breathing from her mouth and making a... wet growl, I would say, when she breathes. I want to pick up an anti-biotic for her but for the life of me I can't remember the name of the one I've read to use. I think it is one typically given to cattle and put in the water.

Please help!

 

[ND]

From what I understand, chickens don't get 'colds' like people do. Most respiratory symptoms in chickens will end with the chicken being a 'carrier' and infecting others possibly... if the chicken survives. Additionally, if it's viral (not bacterial), antibiotics would only help with any secondary infections due to that. A lot of people will cull any birds that display respiratory symptoms.

Having said that, if you decide to treat it... what you use kinda of depends on what the chicken may have contracted. I had respiratory symptoms in a brand new flock I got, and decided to treat them rather than cull them (and then have a closed flock-- nobody in/nobody out/no hatching eggs). First, I used Aureomycin powder mixed in the water. There was some improvement...but lingering issues that just didn't quite go away. I next tried Sulmet-- no change in three days, discontinued use. Next I tried Tylan 50 inject-able BUT I gave the dose ORALLY. This was what worked for whatever my chickens have. Noticeable improvement in 24 hours, nearly 100% by day 3. Whatever it was, was sensitive to the Tylan 50 but not the other meds.


My pullets symptoms were listlessness, a 'wet' sneeze', and two had one eye each that , initially, was stuck shut but NOT swollen. When open, it was watery. (not running/dripping...not foamy or bubbly, just like a 'tear' was in the eye) The affected ones also had a small amount of clear, water like nasal discharge occasionally.

The first meds I tried gave them back some energy, stopped the eye/nasal watering (but one still held it's eye shut, not stuck, just closed) but the affected ones still sneezed, even after nearly two weeks on the meds. The Tylan 50 injectable, given orally, is the only thing that's returned them to 100%.

HOWEVER, it might NOT be what's best for whatever is infecting your bird. Know that the chances that if your bird recovers, it will be a carrier of the illness is great. This means it can infect new birds, it may pass it on to the eggs (fine to eat, but chicks may become ill), and it may 'relapse' and become sick again with the same thing if under stress, etc. This is why many people cull them. Just depends on what, exactly, is affecting your birds.

 

[speckledhen]

I agree with the above poster. Chickens do not get head colds and you have no idea if she has a virus or bacterial illness. Antibiotics do not work for viruses and even if it's bacterial, some of those make the bird a Typhoid Mary in your flock. You need to be aware of this before you treat the bird, put her back in your flock and have a cycle of illness you can't get out of. You cannot know for sure what she has without actual testing. Always work from a position of knowledge.

The harsh reality is that the most knowledgeable chicken keepers never treat respiratory illness-they euthanize immediately. That way, the flock's immune system isn't compromised and you won't always be buying meds to treat stuff that never really goes away.

 

[Kedreeva]

I'm aware antibiotics don't work on viruses, I'm not new to diseases just new to the names of medications for chickens. I also didn't ask for advice on culling or not- clearly my intention is to treat. I understand the risk of not culling and if I do not find a solution or if I find evidence of this being contagious (which I have NOT), I would opt to be responsible and cull.

I'm also fairly certain that what she has is not particularly contagious if it is at all- she's been this way for over a month without showing new symptoms (which is sort of what we were waiting for) or getting worse or passing it to anyone else. Her behavior is normal, no listlessness, no eye problems, no feather problems, good weight, perfect stool.... she eats, drinks, and follows her best friend around. Since nothing else seems to be happening (and what do I know, maybe it's allergies to the harvest going on all around our farm right now), I figured I could pick up something to see if I could alleviate the symptom.

I will pick up some Tylan 50 tomorrow to give it a try. I have been looking while waiting as well. Can anyone advice on the use of duramycin? I believe this is the medication I was trying to remember.

 

[speckledhen]

To be clear, I was not advising you to treat or not to treat, but just being sure you knew the facts to make your decisions from. Better to know than not.

I can't advise you on antibiotics since I use only penicillin (for injuries or reproductive infections). I've never used Duramycin. Some say Tylan is the preferred antibiotic for respiratory illness, though it doesn't change the carrier status if that is the case with the particular ailment the bird has.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

What about some kind of pro-biotic to build her immune system? Yogurt... or cider vinegar... just something to build her up?

 

[Kedreeva]

That's not a bad idea. She has never been fond of taking treats, but I may be able to get some yogurt into her. Cider vinegar- is it available at a regular human supermarket?

 

[chicmom]

Quote:
Hi Kendreeva- I had the same situation once and I used Duramayacin. Worked like a charm.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Quote:
Don't get your apple cider vinegar at the grocery store, rather get it at the health food store... grocery store stuff is too processed... and try to get natural with "mother"... "mother" looks bad, like slimmy stuff floating in the vinegar... but "mother" is GOOD.

 

[chickenlady08]

mmaddie's mom :

Quote:
Don't get your apple cider vinegar at the grocery store, rather get it at the health food store... grocery store stuff is too processed... and try to get natural with "mother"... "mother" looks bad, like slimmy stuff floating in the vinegar... but "mother" is GOOD.

Braggs is organic and has the 'mother in it'. Actually food Lion around here had it. Don't have specialty stores around her to shop in.​