Respiratory illness - background info & LA-200 question

loohoo

Songster
May 9, 2020
155
123
146
Southern Ohio, US
Hi everyone!
So, first off, I learned a really hard lesson in biosecurity. Half of our chicks we raised this spring turned out to be boys. This is our first flock, and I didnt want to do chicks again so soon, so we replaced the boys with older pullets.
Last Sunday, we picked up an 8-ish week old GLW. I looked her over really well, didn't see anything alarming, so I put her in the run with our flock, implementing the see-but-not-touch method. Still plenty of opportunity to share germs though. 😑 (Looking back, she had a bit of dried stuff near one of her nostrils that at the time I thought was food or something but was probably dried snot. Hind sight is 20/20.)
By Tuesday, I noticed she was sneezing nonstop and had a runny nose. I immediately pulled her out, and my husband built a small, quick quarantine coop/area for her.
Wednesday, one of her sinuses under her eye was swollen a bit (not enough to where her eye was shut, like Google images brings up when I searched), and her eye was watery. Her breathing was congested sounding, and she was opening her beak on occasion...it looked like she was taking a breath (gasping? It didn't look quite that dramatic as that sounds.).
A friend got some Lincomycin from her vet, who used to treat livestock but doesn't anymore. The vet said to treat the whole flock since they'd been exposed. I have been putting it in the GLW's water since Thursday morning. Friday, one of our other girls began sneezing so I started putting it in their water then.
Through all of this, the GLW has been eating and drinking (maybe not quite as much food as she would otherwise but still interested in it), has bright eyes, poops normally, etc. The swelling under her eye seems to be gone, and her eye is no longer watery. She still is sneezing, runny nose, and her breathing sounds a bit congested though. I dont notice her occasionally opening her beak to take a breath anymore either.
I got some LA-200 at TSC, and plan on giving her a shot of it tonight to see if that helps. What would the dosage be? And how many injections for how long? She's about 9 weeks old or so. After taking the injections, how long should symptoms persist?
I believe its Coryza, however I don't know for certain. There is a smell around her head, and her snot, that stinks. I wouldn't say it smells like "rotten eggs" as I've seen Coryza described, but more as a really stinky dog breath type smell...if that makes sense. She was free ranging when we picked her up so could have been exposed to anything a wild bird may have had, honestly. The girl I got her from said none of the others were showing symptoms, after I messaged her when this began. I haven't talked to her since so I don't know if any have developed.

The other girls haven't shown any more symptoms since Friday, but I'm unsure how long to continue the Lincomycin for them preventatively. I find it hard to dose the correct amount, as I'm not making large batches of it.

I feel I should add:
1.) A vet isn't an option, there would be quite a drive to get to one. I'm trying to treat with what I can do myself.
2.) I learned my lesson with quarantining new chickens and honestly, will only do day old chicks down the road.
3.) I have read SO much about all the different types of respiratory diseases and I understand that they will be carriers for life. I'm not culling any of our little flock...we have 5 total. They arent even laying yet, however 4 are getting closer to laying age at 14 weeks old. I plan to have a closed flock, until these are gone. I only want to treat the symptoms.

If you got this far - thank you so much. ❤

To summarize - how much LA-200 to inject for a smaller pullet, around 9 weeks old, who is sneezing, has a runny nose, and has congestion? Possibly Coryza.
When to stop the preventative Lincomycin in the rest of the flock's water? They've been separated for 6 days now.
 
You seem to be doing the EXACT right thing. Separating her out, finding the antibiotics, your research, it all sounds spot on. As for the Lincomycin, you should continue the treatment for around five days minimum, ten maximum. Symptoms won't disappear instantly per say, but you should gradually see an improvement. Definitely nothing getting worse. After a few days of treatment, it should be a lot better. Some chickens recover more quickly than others though (just like people), so there isn't really a definitive time set. Incredible job handling the situation though!
 
You seem to be doing the EXACT right thing. Separating her out, finding the antibiotics, your research, it all sounds spot on. As for the Lincomycin, you should continue the treatment for around five days minimum, ten maximum. Symptoms won't disappear instantly per say, but you should gradually see an improvement. Definitely nothing getting worse. After a few days of treatment, it should be a lot better. Some chickens recover more quickly than others though (just like people), so there isn't really a definitive time set. Incredible job handling the situation though!
Thank you so, so much! ❤ I truly appreciate it! It means a lot to hear that!
I was a stressed out mess all last week! We put so much time, effort, and love into raising these chickens, I dont want to lose them!
 
It would be good to try and get her tested to find out if it is MG, coryza, or what. You can try to get some swabs or testing from the state poultry lab, your vet, NPIP, or Zoologix. Either one is a disease they have in their bodies for life, and they are carriers. If it turns out to be coryza, it is better treated with sulfadimethoxine (albon, SMZ-TMP, bactrim.) Many would cull a chicken with coryza, since they would make carriers of the whole flock. Here is a link about pcr testing for respiratory diseases:
http://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm

Read post 5 in this thread for LA200 or oxytetracycline dosage:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/dosing-of-oxytetracycline.1401080/#post-22993274
 
It would be good to try and get her tested to find out if it is MG, coryza, or what. You can try to get some swabs or testing from the state poultry lab, your vet, NPIP, or Zoologix. Either one is a disease they have in their bodies for life, and they are carriers. If it turns out to be coryza, it is better treated with sulfadimethoxine (albon, SMZ-TMP, bactrim.) Many would cull a chicken with coryza, since they would make carriers of the whole flock. Here is a link about pcr testing for respiratory diseases:
http://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm

Read post 5 in this thread for LA200 or oxytetracycline dosage:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/dosing-of-oxytetracycline.1401080/#post-22993274
Thank you!
I hadn't seen your post before we gave her a shot this evening.
I followed the dosage in this post:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-vetrx-for-crd-treatment.631458/#post-8451731
And now I'm worried we gave too much! 😧
 
It would be good to try and get her tested to find out if it is MG, coryza, or what. You can try to get some swabs or testing from the state poultry lab, your vet, NPIP, or Zoologix. Either one is a disease they have in their bodies for life, and they are carriers. If it turns out to be coryza, it is better treated with sulfadimethoxine (albon, SMZ-TMP, bactrim.) Many would cull a chicken with coryza, since they would make carriers of the whole flock. Here is a link about pcr testing for respiratory diseases:
http://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm

Read post 5 in this thread for LA200 or oxytetracycline dosage:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/dosing-of-oxytetracycline.1401080/#post-22993274
When I was in almost the same situation as you are right now I followed this thread instructions and got a good outcome. Good luck with your chick.
 

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