Need advice for my chickens!

[Renee Bailey]

I posted on here the other day about my 4 chickens. Took one to the vet and they did a fecal and found 2 types of intestinal parasites. They also said she seemed to have a bit of fluid in her abdomen and drained a bit of that. I was told to worm my other chickens at home with fenbendazole and they sent Vera back with Panacur in 3 syringes and Baytril. Well, after reading a post on here by Nambroth about her chicken being diagnogned with Clostridium Perfringens, I am convinced that that's what Vera has. She had the same poop with the seeds in it, etc. Anyway, today will be the 10th day of Baytril for Vera. Her crop seemed to drain overnight only one time since all this started. I have 3 others that are having the same messy poops and the same crop problems and they're losing weight because of this. I wormed them all with Panacur and started them on Amoxicillin (4th day this morning) and hope this helps. Vera's crop was very doughy this morning so I'm afraid she might be getting sour crop so I gave her 1/3 dose of Monistat today in her eggs which she ate. I emailed that vet I saw twice about Nambroth's post and said I was convinced that's what they had and if I should give them Metronidazole. The vet never called back but the office girl did and said "he said to give 80 mg of that twice a day." Well, it only comes in tablet form from what I can see and I would have to cut a tablet up and crush it and put it in their food. I found another post where some other hens were given Chlortetracycline after contracting necrotic enteritis and they recovered. I contacted the vet again yesterday with several emails and a phone call. They never called me back. I'm at my wit's end and on the verge of tears worried I am going to lose all my girls to this eventually! It seems nobody gives a crap about chickens. Anyway, if anyone has any advice, please answer this. Also, the vet said "just so you know...your ground is contaminated." So what do I do to remedy that? Do I have to dig all the dirt up in my coop and add new sand? Should I remove all the shavings out of my coop? Please....any help would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to lose my girls to this!

 

[azygous]

First of all, you need to physically make a visit to this vet and insist they follow through with the care they have begun for your chickens. They have all the information gathered in one place, (lab tests) including having seen your chickens. They are in the best position to help and advise you. Hold them accountable. It's your right.

If the soil and litter your chickens are ranging on is contaminated and causing these chickens to be sick, you need to keep them off of it and find some way to dry it out. That will get rid of the toxin. Removing damp soiled litter and improve drainage may be labor intensive, but it's the only way.

 

[Renee Bailey]

Thanks for the soil answer. I haven't read one thing on how or why it was contaminated. The one part of their run is covered and tarped in and that's nice and dry. The addition is wet so I will shut that part down until we get the roof tarped. Is that what causes it? The dampness? I have calls into this vet. However, my first little fecal and another test ran me $308. I can't really afford to have another visit and that's why I call and email them. Getting them to answer me is another story. I'm very upset about it to put it mildly. Do you think the amoxicillin will help them or is it a worms that's causing the runny poops and crops not emptying?

 

[azygous]

Yes, amoxicillin is the best treatment for this. This has happened to some of my flock when a compost pile developed anaerobic conditions. The insects occupying the compacted soil become infected with the toxin, the chickens eat these insects, and become infected. A broad spectrum antibiotic will counter the bacteria.

The botulism toxin develops when soil and litter are wet and compacted to create anaerobic conditions. No oxygen can circulate in the damp matter, and this triggers botulism spores, which are present everywhere at all times, to develop into a deadly toxin.

The remedy is to dry it out and expose the matter to oxygen. Then the toxic spores will die out. To avoid this condition, you need to improve drainage and air circulation.

 

[Renee Bailey]

Yes, amoxicillin is the best treatment for this. This has happened to some of my flock when a compost pile developed anaerobic conditions. The insects occupying the compacted soil become infected with the toxin, the chickens eat these insects, and become infected. A broad spectrum antibiotic will counter the bacteria.

The botulism toxin develops when soil and litter are wet and compacted to create anaerobic conditions. No oxygen can circulate in the damp matter, and this triggers botulism spores, which are present everywhere at all times, to develop into a deadly toxin.

The remedy is to dry it out and expose the matter to oxygen. Then the toxic spores will die out. To avoid this condition, you need to improve drainage and air circulation.

Ok, I will give the amoxicillin a couple more days. It sucks that you can't buy anything to treat unless you go thru a vet now. I see the vet finally did call me back today at 11:40 but I was gone and my phone was on the charger. They never left a message. I'll have to call back and see what they said.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

@Renee Bailey I hope your hens get better and make a full recovery.

 

[azygous]

This is where I buy mine. https://www.kvsupply.com/item/fish-mox-250mg-60ct/P03702/ No need to go through a vet and no prescription.

You need to treat a full seven to ten days for it to work.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

... It sucks that you can't buy anything to treat unless you go thru a vet now. ...

That's because you aren't a vet and are taking advice from non-veterinarians that haven't examined your birds. You shouldn't buy the stuff because you haven't done the lab work to determine exactly what is ailing your birds.
Willy nilly use of antibiotics is why we have growing numbers of resistant bacteria.

 

[Renee Bailey]

@Renee Bailey I hope your hens get better and make a full recovery.

Thank you! Me, too! They're my babies!