Positive but unintended Metronizadole side effect / Looking for advice

[francis773]

I have silkie hen that displayed symptoms that persisted for over 6 months. Note that this silkie hen has to be kept seperate from the main flock because she is nearly blind.

Her symptoms were:
1. A very slight intermittent sneeze
2. Shell-less (soft) eggs

She otherwise eats and drinks normally.

Recently I had a rooster that I suspected had Canker (Avian trichomonosis), which I now have determined to be most likely wet pox (wet form of fowl pox). I initially treated all my chickens with Metronizadole (20% powder mix / purchased from Jedds bird supplies) mixed in their water as a precaution against the suspected canker.

A positive yet unintended side effect is that during and several weeks following the administration of this Metronizadole mix, the sick silkie hen began laying normal eggs again, and the intermittent sneeze had disappeared!

While the sneeze has stayed away, the shell-less eggs started up again and continues to persist. It's been about 2 months since she was administered the Metronizadole mix. I am debating myself on whether I should give her another round of the metronizadole mix.

Does anyone have any ideas what this silkie hen's underlying illness may be? What could be causing the shell-less eggs and why would the metronizadole have cause the shell-less eggs symptom to have disappeared (albeit temporarily).

Thank you!

 

[dawg53]

I dont know why Metronidazole would cause the egg shells to harden, if that's the cause.
I'm sure you have provided crushed oyster shell free choice or perhaps gave her calcium in some manner.
The problem might be that she's not absorbing enough calcium. I recommend giving her vitamin D which helps in calcium absorption.
Dont give her anymore Metronidazole. A time may come when you'll need to use it and it might not be effective due bacterial or protozoal resistance to the product.