Help New chicken lover

[chickenmanreno]

I live in NE Texas, I have 17 hen 22 weeks old I got one chicken isolated in pet taxi in my warm garage she has been on tetracycline hydrochloride for three days resting still eating symptoms one eye closed kind of looks matted also sick acting didn't go on the roost after I noticed she had been making weird noises I thought she was just going threw female changes and was going to be the first to lay kind of a gurgling noise. I have bleached all my other water bowls and feeders and put them on the same thing they seem heathliy but notice a mild dosage of the same symptoms with the other ones the gurgling. What to do??? We just had a good rain last week and weather has dropped coop got a little damp.

 

[Eggcessive]

Did the first chicken smell very bad (a sign of coryza) before the antibiotics? If so, I would treat them with sulfadimethoxine (Albon, Sulfamed-G, or Dimethox.) If no bad smell, I would treat all of the others with the tetracycline or switch to Tylan Soluble Powder in the water which is a better antibiotic. These respiratory diseases are chronic, and your chickens may be carriers from now on. Here is some info (read about mycoplasma G, coryza, and others): http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[chickenmanreno]

They do stink got 2 more not as bad what should I do they all been on the first medics I noted in prior post.Do they need to be isolated?

 

[chickenmanreno]

I didn't notice any smell at first now they stink I have one isolated with her eye closed about 90 percent all the time she is eating and drinking.Outside I got 16 5 month old pullets 2 of them have very mild of what the one inside has eye has like creamy eye bugers

 

[Eggcessive]

Isolate the sick ones although they may all be exposed to it. Treat everyone with the sulfadimethoxine--brands are in post 2. I think you are dealing with coryza. It lasts a long time, up to 2 months. Some people believe in culling and starting over with this disease.

 

[chickenmanreno]

What would you do I've read the culling option. I don't want to use my feelings for my judgment I want to do the right thing. So if culling is what I need to I don't want to wait any longer than I have to.

 

[chickenmanreno]

And yes they are all exposed so should I still isolate?

 

[Eggcessive]

Culling birds is something I have never had to do. I would do it it I had coryza, but don't jknow that for sure. Can you get one of your sick birds tested or a necrospy done? Do you have a friend who knows about chickens? It can get expensive to treat this, but starting over is something you would need to wait for few months so that the disease is gone. Many farmers will sell sick birds, so I would recommend getting them from a hatchery. If they are exposed isolation probably won't work. I would call Tractor Supply to ask about the drug, but mine doesn't have it. A feedstore that cattle people go to might have it since it is for cattle as well as other animals. Let me know what you get and I can find how to mix it.

Here are 3 places to order sulfadimethoxine online in 3 different forms and strengths.

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail....=34525656043&gclid=CJvc8fP567kCFUPl7Aod2DoAEw

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail....=34525656043&gclid=CPec96X667kCFSgS7AodyhIAFQ

http://www.californiapetpharmacy.com/albon-2oz.html?productid=albon-2oz&channelid=FROOG

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are 2 good articles on coryza, and there are a few good threads to readon BYC if you Google it.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/82/infectious-coryza
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou...overview_of_infectious_coryza_in_poultry.html

 

[chickenmanreno]

Ok I believe I am going to try and get some Tylan 200 give each chicken a 3/4 cc shot tonight and I have 3 that will be isolated that seem to have more of the infection worse. I will try this I cant seem to bring my sense to giving up on these chickens and cull out. Maybe its just a cold and these are not for resale they are my pets. Please note any comments with my lack of knowledge this is my decision for now any comments pointing facts out I can handle.