my babies are dying - bactrim/smz-tmp dosing?

[slackwater]

I've lost two of my cochin babies (1wk old, hatched here) in the last day...and now another one has crusty eyes and multiple other chicks have a "click" when they breathe. I've given the crusty-eyed chick ointment, and have discovered that I can (hopefully) treat the URI w/bactrim/smz-tmps. The trouble is, I can't find the dose! I have SMZ-TMP 960s (800 SMZ, 160 TMP). I'm used to treating horses with them - I'm thinking I don't need to use 20 tablets 2x/day

I have approx 50-60 chicks (had several hatchery shipments & hatches occur almost simultaneously, had several "orders" back out - now I'm overwhelmed!), and 1qt and 1gal waterers. The "least thriving" chicks are separated.

Thoughts on dosages? I'd hate to wing it, but the best I can come up with at this point is...1/2 or 1 tablet in a 1qt waterer? But that's just a guess.

PLEASE HELP! Before I lose more babies...I'm still searching for a dosage, but any guidance would be appreciated!

 

[slackwater]

Okay, I had to give it a go...dosing for horses is 1 pill (960mg) per 100 lbs 1-2x/day. So, approx 10mg/lb. So, if I have approx 12 chicklets that are sick, they probably weigh what, 2oz each? Maybe a little more? So that's 1.5lbs. So they would need 15-30mg/day for ALL 12 of them. I put 1 pill in 1qt water...so it is approximately 30mg/oz. So, assuming that all 12 chicks will drink 1 oz total today (over 24hrs), they will get their dosage.

Am I underestimating how much they will drink? It's hard for me to judge how much they drink, oz-wise, b/c so much gets wasted w/sawdust and whatnot. But if they're only sipping here & there, and there's only 12 of them, and they're only 1-2 weeks old...is that unreasonable? Is my math off? Someone please double-check my logic for me!

 

[slackwater]

Seriously? No one even chimed in to give me hugs or kind words?

 

[Hennypen]

Just saw this... how are they? The boards have been a little dull lately.

 

[speckledhen]

Sorry, I can't help you. My policy is to never treat respiratory illness. I only have penicillin for injuries.

 

[Hennypen]

Why wouldn't you treat for respiratory illness? Do you automatically cull or let them get well?

 

[slackwater]

The little cochin with the sticky eyes is doing better today. One other who seemed depressed but not overly "sick" had died by the time I got home. Well, much earlier, I guess - it had been kinda trampled

But, no one has died from an overdose, and no one seems to be getting sicker...so I'll continue on the current course.

Dunno why Speckledhen doesn't treat for URIs - I'm more likely not to treat an injury

I will give TLC but not necessarily antibiotics.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
I second that. A respiratory disease like the one you are describing is most likely MG or another bad one that stays with you flock, even if they survive.

If you do want to treat them the best way is to use Tylan D, injectable if you are able to use a needle. It's available at Tractor Supply.




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[Gardenpig]

Sorry, I'm new so I can't help with sickness. But I will pray and hope that your chicks get better!

 

[slackwater]

I am more familiar with disease transmission in dogs and horses, whereby pathogens remain in the environment indefinitely (parvo) or are transmitted via unrelated vectors (potomac horse fever, west nile virus, etc). I have had a dog on my farm with parvo (a rescue dog, after Katrina), and now I am technically "contaminated" for seven years. That being said, I would not NOT treat my dogs for parvo if they got it (though they are vaccinated) simply b/c it can become a resident organism and potentially infect or reinfect every dog on the farm. I take the same approach with my chickens, and do not feel that simply culling sick birds will prevent the possiblity of reinfection. Once ANY bird on the farm has a URI, whether it is immediately culled or not, the farm is now "infected" with the organism (if can become environmentally present). Whether some birds can have a latent infection, but never present with the symptoms, is always possible. That being said...then any bird that has a latent infection, but never presents with an infection, would also pass a quarantine period scott-free and then would go on to infect lesser-immune birds who would then be culled, though that is not likely to stop the actual problem.

Anyway, I'm not sure my theory makes any sense. However, regarding my little chicklets, the Bactrim seems to be working. The sickest chick was definitely more perky this morning, and his eyes have been open without any eye ointment since yesterday. I realize that he could still drop dead at any point (since birds can be so d*mn finicky), but I'm hoping he's on the mend.