Hen is sick

[Tara Black]

So I've posted on here before and gotten very helpful advice, so I'm trying again. We purchased a hen from an auction last night and she seemed fine there, with the exception of some missing back feathers, which we figured was from a Roo. This morning we got to check on her and she is making this almost constant sound that isn't quite a gurgle but is a low drawn out almost cluck. So we took a better look and she has a slight discharge on her beak, but her eyes and nasal passages look clear. She is also doing this funky coughing/sneezing type thing. I can't find anything else wrong with her other then that, so it may just be the beginning of something worse. Any suggestions for illness and treatment?

 

[Eggcessive]

If you have other chickens who are healthy, I would cull her. However, if you plan to treat her and risk introducing mycoplasma or coryza into your flock, you may want to treat her with Tylan 50 which can be given 1ml. by mouth or as a shot into the breast muscle for 3-5 days. If she smells really bad about the head, the disease is more likely to be coryza, and the best antibiotic for that is Albon or Di-Methox in the water. Sulmet could also be used if you have that (for the coryza.) Here is a list of common chicken diseases: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[dawg53]

If you have other chickens who are healthy, I would cull her. However, if you plan to treat her and risk introducing mycoplasma or coryza into your flock, you may want to treat her with Tylan 50 which can be given 1ml. by mouth or as a shot into the breast muscle for 3-5 days. If she smells really bad about the head, the disease is more likely to be coryza, and the best antibiotic for that is Albon or Di-Methox in the water. Sulmet could also be used if you have that (for the coryza.) Here is a list of common chicken diseases: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

x2
Culling would be best.

 

[Tara Black]

She doesn't smell bad at all and the option to cull is on the table, although its not my preferred method. Is there anything I can do to help prevent the others from possibly getting whatever it is via airborn exposure?

 

[Eggcessive]

You may be dealing with mycoplasma then or another disease. Most of the respiratory diseases are spread by direct contact or airborne particles. If you read the link I posted, it tells you how each disease is spread. Hand washing, changing clothes and shoes is a big way to keep it from spreading.

 

[Tara Black]

You may be dealing with mycoplasma then or another disease.  Most of the respiratory diseases are spread by direct contact or airborne particles.  If you read the link I posted, it tells you how each disease is spread.  Hand washing, changing clothes and shoes is a big way to keep it from spreading.

Thanks, I guess I'm going to have to suck it up and cull her, because I defiantly don't want my LB and BLRW to get it. I can't find Tylon 50 at Tractor Supply, any other good recommendations for antibiotics?

 

[casportpony]

Thanks, I guess I'm going to have to suck it up and cull her, because I defiantly don't want my LB and BLRW to get it. I can't find Tylon 50 at Tractor Supply, any other good recommendations for antibiotics?

Did you look in the cattle section of TSC? They should have it and the Tylan 200.

-Kathy

 

[Eggcessive]

Besides Tylan, there is erythromycin, spectinomycin, lincomtcyin, and Duramycin-10 which is pretty much everywhere. Dosage for duramycin-10 is 1/2 Tablespoonful per gallon of water for the 400 mg dose, and you can double that for a severe infection--give for 7-14 days. My Tractor Suplly has all meds in one area with wormers, syringes, needles, and they usually will have Tylan-200--that is okay to use except the dose would be 1/4 of the 50 mg per ml. Tylan 200 would be 1/4 ml.