Sick Cuckoo Marans

[Michael Apple]

If you are interested in tube feeding, casportpony is the best person to pm for help.

X2. This thread may be helpful: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/805728/go-team-tube-feeding

 

[NathanielJS]

After a few weeks of treatment with Corid, the coccidia seems to have gone away. The diarrhea has stopped, and the chickens' behavior had to some extent gone back to normal. However, they seem to have some sort of respiratory infection. They are sneezing, wheezing slightly, occasionally having trouble with their eyes, and one of them keeps going to sleep on the ground in the middle of the day. How should I treat this, or will it go away on its own?

 

[Eggcessive]

Tylan 50 injectable 1 ml for a 5lb chicken given as a shot into the breast 1/4 inch with a 22 gauge needle for 3 days is the best. Give 1/2 ml if under 5 lb, 1/4 ml for bantams. If you want to do an oral drinking water treatment instead, Gallimycin, oxytetracycline, or Duramycin 10 may help. Some do use the Tylan 50 orally, but it should be given for 5-7 days instead of 3. There is also a Tylan Soluble Powder for water for $55.

 

[Michael Apple]

Denagard liquid is $19 for 8 oz at Hake's: http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies....ain_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=991

 

[NathanielJS]

They have gotten worse and I want to give them the antibiotics. I don't have any good way to isolate the birds without them completely wrecking my yard, so is it safe to add the antibiotics to the water that they share with the healthy birds? Should I keep giving them any Coccidia drugs to make sure that infection does not return?

 

[NathanielJS]

I started giving them antibiotics, but one of them is especially sick. She cannot open either of her eyes, and (probably as a result) has gotten bird lice. I bought some stuff for that from the pet store, and plan to give it to her.

 

[NathanielJS]

One of my Cuckoo Marans has completely recovered, but the other has gotten worse. She is not sneezing anymore, but her eyes are covered with a thick film of mucus and she cannot she. She has (what appear to be) lice on her face and in her feathers, and is lethargic. I've tried using a wet paper towel to clean her eyes, and while this did seem to work, the film replaced itself quickly. One of my americanas seems to also have gotten the same infection: she has mucus dripping from her eyes and lice on her face and in her feathers. I found lice in the feathers of one of my new chickens, but she is not sick. Both the sick chickens have lots of feathers on their faces, but the cuckoo maran who recovered and the new chicken do not. Could the lice be related to causing the mucus in the eyes, or is it just that the chickens cannot see them to get rid of them? I'm giving them the antibiotics and lice medication, but neither seems to be working quickly and the cuckoo maran is getting worse.

 

[enola]

What are you using for the lice?

The lice have weakend her system and allowed the respiratory infection to make her really ill.......

 

[Michael Apple]

use Sulfadimethoxine powder at 1 tsp per gallon for six days for the one with crusty eyes. It is likely Coryza. Separate that hen from the rest during this treatment. If you can't find sulfadimethoxine powder locally, Sulmet will work too, just follow label instructions.

To eliminate the louse problem you will need to clean out coops of all liter and dust, spray it down with Ravap EC or Permectrin II mixed in a yard and garden sprayer. Let it dry and add new shavings. It is then you can allow treated birds to enter the coop. If you are using dusts like Sevin or Prozap on your birds, it is important to dust once, and again in 12 days. Eggs can hatch within a few weeks. I recommend dipping or spraying since dips and sprays have a residual of at least a few weeks. The two sprays I mentioned will do just that and are labeled for poultry.

 

[misschick3]

Treat the lice problem asap. I had a 12 week old Marans nearly die from lice and red mites. I used Cydectin pour on drench but I don't know how it will effect your already weakened chicken. Others can advice on that more than me.
The day after treatment she was eating and looking ok.