How long on antibiotics for respiratory illness?

[plainsgirls]

I introduced five new pullets to my flock of 4-year old beautiful, healthy aracanas and within one week two of my aracanas came down with a respiratory illness. Everyone has been very helpful with advice. Their symptoms at the time included clear runny eyes, eyes were closed sometimes and a weazy, gurggling breathing. I noticed that a third aracana started sneezing so I opted to treat the entire flock. I treated the two ill hens with VetRX and Agrimycin powder (oxytetracyline HCI) in the water. I started treating the hens last Friday, it has been 4 days and they are so much better. The eyes have cleared up, they are foraging on the lawn and the wheezing has stopped. How long should I keep everyone on antibiotics, the package says 7 days. I have been disgarding the eggs and had decided to disgard all eggs for a week after the hens are off of the antibiotics, is this correct? I do not sell the eggs, they are just for family and friends. The girls are on pine shavings on top of dirt, the coop is clean and airy. They have a large outside enclosure and they are free to roam anywhere on our farm from about 3:00 pm until about 7:00 pm when they put themselves up. They are, by the way, under the watchful eye of a labrador and a Jack Russell who both "protect" their flock from foxes and the neighbors dogs!

 

[Judy]

I suppose you should follow the package directions. But please understand that these birds may be carriers for life, and infect any others you bring in, if you are not already aware of that.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

I think what ever the pkg says
for my information
the drug

Agrimycin powder (oxytetracyline HCI) in the water

how much does it say per gallon of water?

does it have something more than terramycin in it?

sounds like you do have it on the run

did you lose any of the birds at all?
Do you think that the new birds carried it in?

if your not going to sell eggs and just keep a closed flock then the birds will adjust to your situation

also may I caution every one as to having visitors to your place and going to the chicken barns so as not to get disease from the visitors especially if they have chickens

right now in the spring is a good time for the wild birds to go around your flocks and defecate and your birds injesting the manure which has disease in it are then infected
so one may get respiratory disease at any time they have wild birds
sparrows, starlings etc flying around or eating from chicken feeders

with that said
here is a plan I firmly used and obided by always

after the birds get off the medication
DO PUT 2 tbsp of ACV in the waterers

and feed the wet mash probiotic
NOW for two weeks each day at first feeding
remove the dry crumbles and feed this

wet mash probiotic WITH VIT E

thisis for one chicken multiply it by number of chickens eating it ( whole flock that has been on medication)
EACH CHICKEN gets 1-1000 mg of vitE
cut top off capsule and add to wet mix

natural probiotic wet mash
2 tsp of dry crumbles
3 tsp of milk sweet, sour or buttermilk
1 tbsp of non flavored yogurt
1 tbsp of applesauce on top after Vit's have been mixed in
mix good and put the

the Vit E is very good for the gut system after the medication and respiratory disease

email me any questions

 

[plainsgirls]

Glenda,
Thankyou so much. Yes, I believe the new pullets brought it in with them. I have had my original 7 since they were 1-day old chicks from Murray McMurray. I wanted to add to the flock and did not want to get chicks so I purchased the pullets from a local farmer's market. One week later, my two aracanas were ill. They are much better now. They started on the antibiotics on Friday. The packet says 7-14 days, I would like to do it for only 7. The package says Agrimycin Powder (oxytetracyline HCI) powder. My feed guy said 3 ounces per 5-gallon waterers. I have a 5-gallon waterer in the henhouse and outside so I put 3 ounces in each. I also bathed their heads and under their wings with the VetRx, put some VetRx drops in their noses and gave them a mixture with warm water in their mouths the first two days. Their eyes are clear and they are behaving like normal chickens. I do think I should continue with the antibiotic for the 7 days. I will then feed your probiotic mash. They have been on free-choice crumbles, a little scratch and they have access to grit and oyster shell. Should I pick up the free-choice crumbles and only feed your mash once a day? Also, when do you think it would be safe to eat their eggs? I will not bring anymore hens in, I have 12 now, yes I do realize that the germ is here now. Will it never go away?

I have never wormed my girls, should I be doing this, what and how often and you mention putting ACV in the waterers, what is that?

 

[NancyDz]

As far as how long before you can eat the eggs since the egg cycle is 2 weeks from ripening follicle to laid egg, there should be minimal residue in any egg laid post 2 weeks, but I would never give away or sell eggs from those chickens as there is no published withdrawal time.


Nancy