Histomoniasis aka Blackhead

[casportpony]

Has anyone here every lost a chicken to histomoniasis?

 

[casportpony]

I havnt, but I know how to treat it.

How would you treat it?

 

[dawg53]

Blackhead is caused by a protozoa. Treatment is 250mg metronidazole given orally once a day for 5 days. Then you have to eliminate the host that carries the protozoa...the cecal worm. Valbazen liquid cattle/sheep wormer will take care of the cecal worm....1/2cc given orally undiluted, repeat again in 10 days.

 

[casportpony]

Blackhead is caused by a protozoa. Treatment is 250mg metronidazole given orally once a day for 5 days. Then you have to eliminate the host that carries the protozoa...the cecal worm. Valbazen liquid cattle/sheep wormer will take care of the cecal worm....1/2cc given orally undiluted, repeat again in 10 days.

You seem to be really good at finding official type references. Are there any for blackhead medications that you have seen?

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
I've used metronidazole and valbazen as well as a host of other wormers.

 

[casportpony]

I've used metronidazole and valbazen as well as a host of other wormers.

Yes, but surely you wouldn't give a 100 gram chick the same amount as a 5kg turkey? Just looking for more detailed info...

 

[casportpony]

I had a chick hatch on 6-23, died on 7-8. UC Davis confirmed that cause of death was histomoniasis. Weight at time of death was 70 grams. I also just lost a 1kg hen and I believe that her cause of death was histomoniasis. Just trying to get a handle on what seems to be a real problem here.

 

[casportpony]

I've used metronidazole and valbazen as well as a host of other wormers.

And thanks to your posts, I will be buy some Valbazen.

 

[casportpony]

If the chick was on infected soil and picked up an infected oocyst, it would then be possible for the chick to get infected by the protozoa.
I'm not sure if it can be transmitted through an egg to be hatched though.

I'm sure it was infected through the soil and I've been trying to get everything wormed, but "it" lives for a long time in the soil, so I keep seeing problems with it.

 

[casportpony]

Yeah, the only thing you can do is to keep a regular worming schedule. You can rotate with safeguard liquid goat wormer as well. Good luck and I hope it works out for you.

Trying to do that, but It's hard with the number of chickens that I have.If you come across any info on treating blackhead, please think of me and send me a PM or reply back to this thread. Thanks for your help.