How to get rid of bacterial infections?

[Karien]

Hi, I have had a nasty episode in my outside run, a python came and killed two hens (there was a small hole in the night coop, still baffles me how a 3 meter python squeezes through a 3 cm hole, but anyway, it happened).

Two days later one of the surviving hens got ill, yellow/ green poo and lethargic, died in two days. I gave it metrogyl (antibiotic) but did nothing. Then another died a day after. I had a stool sample of the surviving hen analysed, as I was worried it was coccidiosis.
Stool sample only showed 'motile bacteria' so no idea why the metrogyl did not work. Vet is no suggesting another antibiotic, but I am hesitant as the hen has no symptoms, just a low appetite. But I have no idea what would be a normal amount for her to eat, she is only 4/5 months old and not laying yet. But she eats less than my 5 week old chicks (which are manic eaters, but still).

The two that died were ex-battery hens, that had only been with me for a few weeks, so I can imagine they had really bad immunity and were weak. The pullet & chicks came from the same farm, but are obviously much younger & stronger.

Should I give the pullet that is out there the antibiotic to make sure she is 'clean' to protect the chicks, which need to go out there at some point too? Wait until she gets symptoms?
Normally I'd rather not give too much antibiotic to not screw up their gut health. But I do want to get this over with as I am down to only 1 hen and quite worried, and really do not want to risk the chicks (my kids are very fond of them!)

any other thoughts?

 

[nchls school]

Hi, I have had a nasty episode in my outside run, a python came and killed two hens (there was a small hole in the night coop, still baffles me how a 3 meter python squeezes through a 3 cm hole, but anyway, it happened).

Two days later one of the surviving hens got ill, yellow/ green poo and lethargic, died in two days. I gave it metrogyl (antibiotic) but did nothing. Then another died a day after. I had a stool sample of the surviving hen analysed, as I was worried it was coccidiosis.
Stool sample only showed 'motile bacteria' so no idea why the metrogyl did not work. Vet is no suggesting another antibiotic, but I am hesitant as the hen has no symptoms, just a low appetite. But I have no idea what would be a normal amount for her to eat, she is only 4/5 months old and not laying yet. But she eats less than my 5 week old chicks (which are manic eaters, but still).

The two that died were ex-battery hens, that had only been with me for a few weeks, so I can imagine they had really bad immunity and were weak. The pullet & chicks came from the same farm, but are obviously much younger & stronger.

Should I give the pullet that is out there the antibiotic to make sure she is 'clean' to protect the chicks, which need to go out there at some point too? Wait until she gets symptoms?
Normally I'd rather not give too much antibiotic to not screw up their gut health. But I do want to get this over with as I am down to only 1 hen and quite worried, and really do not want to risk the chicks (my kids are very fond of them!)

any other thoughts?

I have no experience with pythons or any other snake pest getting at my chickens. In my area it's something to see a garter snake; which are harmless. But I have had really good results with tetracycline as an antibiotic for intestinal/respiratory infections. I would give the antibiotic.

 

[Karien]

I gave the antibiotic but it did not do much. She still has little/ no appetite and is losing weight. Behaviour and poo look normal.
Could it not have worked? Or is is a virus or something else?

 

[nchls school]

I gave the antibiotic but it did not do much. She still has little/ no appetite and is losing weight. Behaviour and poo look normal.
Could it not have worked? Or is is a virus or something else?

It could be an infection where the tetracycline is ineffective or, yes, it could be something else. Sorry. I can give no further advice other than taking the bird to a veterinarian which is expensive.