Quarantined Chickens

[chanceitup]

So unfortunately it would seem ILT/MG has started to go through my flock. As of now, I’ve quarantined four chickens. I started to give everyone Tylan/Amoxicillin as an antibiotic to try and get ahead of it though.

Of the four, one is starting to perk up a lot more. I wasn’t sure how much longer I should keep her in if she’s becoming active

Of the remaining, 2 are starting to act better than yesterday. One still doesn’t seem to be doing any better, though her face is less swollen. I gave her some nutri-drench mixed with electrolytes and antibiotics yesterday. Should I continue that?

Is it best to keep them in the dark, or have normal light during the day?

Apologies in advance for all the questions, but I’d like to do what I can with as much knowledge as possible. I hate to have a sick pet on my hands.

Thank you,
Chance

 

[Eggcessive]

What have been the symptoms that you have seen in your sick chickens? Have you smelled any rotten odor from the face? Testing by your state vet or a poultry lab with a tracheal swab is how to tell one disease from another. MG symptoms can include bubbles or foam in an eye, swelling of the face or around the eye from sinus infection, cough or sneeze, crackles or wheeze in the chest, and nasal drainage. There may be few symptoms or none. Secondary infections can be common. MG can be treated with certain antibiotics, such as tylosin, doxycycline, enrofloxacin, oxytetracycline, and some others.

ILT is a vrus which antibiotics do not treat. It causes violent coughing or sneezing, mucus tinged with blood from the nostrils and beak, head shaking to clear the airway, decreased activity and poor appetite. There can be milder cases. It lasts around 2 weeks. Birds are carriers for life.

I would keep your birds in normal light, so they can continue to lay. Electrolytes usuall should not be given for more than a few days since they can cause diarrhea. Vitamins especial b complex vitamins may be helpful the whole time they are sick. Which antibiotic have you been using? If symptoms have improved with certain antibiotic, and if you have seen facial swelling, it might be MG.

 

[chanceitup]

I haven’t smelled anything abnormal, from what I can tell. Most of the symptoms you listed for MG would apply, but for the two smaller ones, they seem to have the mucus tinged with blood, or they did at least yesterday - it doesn’t seem to be happening today though. Which is what lead me to think ILT.

I don’t have anything specifically vitamin only, as the one I do have is vitamins + electrolytes. I can give it a day before doing more if that would help. I’ve been giving tylamox, which is a combination of tylan/amoxicillin.

 

[Eggcessive]

Human vitamin B complex which contains thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and others is very easy to find in drug stores or many grocery stores. Half a tablet can be crushed and added to food or a little water to give early. Baby liquid vitamins also may be used.

 

[chanceitup]

The bigger chickens are more active and alert. They seem quite curious to get out of the cage I have them in. From what I can hear though, they still have a slight wheeze or something related to respiratory.

Since they don’t seem to be free of symptoms, is it more harm than good to keep them in? It’s going to be 70 tomorrow, figured maybe it wouldn’t be as bad going from the warmth where they are at now, to the colder temperature outside.