Salmonella Outbreak - Advice appreciated

[tillacat]

"Perhaps the most publicized disease in chickens is salmonella. When raising chickens, the owner must watch for this disease because it affects the eggs and the meat. Signs of salmonella in chickens include a dejection, low appetite, excessive thirst, a reluctance to move, ruffled feathers and yellowed diarrhea.
Treatment of Salmonella includes antibiotics such as amoxicillin. Prevention is the easiest solution. There are vaccines available for this disease."

I am new to raising chickens but I have a question - if amoxicillin kills it, is there amoxicillin that can be added to the chickens water so I can treat the entire flock? I would rather treat healthy chickens with amoxicillin than have my children die of salmonella

 

[Teresaann24]

Thing is giving too many antibotics to a non sick chicken could hurt them in the long run is what I have been told. I have heard of people adding a tiny bit of bleach to drinking water of chickens to keep stuff from growing in their waters that could cause diseases.

 

[WallTenters]

Salmonella in clean, well ventilated coops is rather rare. Remember that chickens need a certain level of salmonella (as do we) to digest certain parts of their diet (primarily any leafy greens)... Thing is, when they are kept in filthy confinement different strains of the bacteria grow at harmful levels.

I would NOT treat your flock with antibiotics unless you have confirmed you're dealing with a bacteria/virus that can be treated with those antibiotics. Otherwise, you're just contributing to a much bigger problem.

 

[tillacat]

Do the chickens show any symptoms at all? Some websites say yes and others say no. My coop is clean but my chicks were from tractor supply and several batches of their chicks this year were shipped out with salmonella. My local vet advised me to kill the whole flock, but I guess I make a terrible farmer because all my chickens have names and killing them would be like killing my dog. I couldnt do that unless they were suffering

 

[WallTenters]

Contact your local university labs and ask them if they will do some fecal testing for you or other tests as needed. This should put you to ease. I think your vet is WAY overreacting.

Wash your hands, don't kiss them on the bum and you should be okay. If you are overly concerned, get the egg cleaning wash sold in some feed stores and also sold online.

 

[classicsredone]

Aside from fecal testing, which I recommend, I would make sure that they get probiotics in their diet. Using a supplement like Pro Bios or even plain yogurt will help to ensure that their guts have more healthy bacteria than bad.