Sick sick sick...

[TnChickHen]

Well, last weekend, the 4th, we had an outbreak. It started off with some sneezing and runny noses and got a little rattle in the chest. Than, the next day, we ended up seeing tapeworms in someone's feces. THAN there was blood in the poop. We aren't sure if the bloody poop was from the tapeworms or what. We got dewormer, and dewormed everyone. I have Tylan-50 on its way here (the only way we can get it where we are is by special order delivery...). We don't have a vet where I am to help us with our chickens. No one has any bubbles in their eyes, and I know it's not corzya. Any suggestions on what this could be?? CRD possibly???

 

[hencam]

More info, please. Age of chickens? Are they laying? Housing situation? Blood in the poop can indicate several issues. I just had a bout of respiratory disease in my flock. Read about it here:
http://www.hencam.com/henblog/2011/05/not-mycoplasma/
Then read related posts.

It's impossible to pinpoint the infectious agent unless you send blood to a lab. Tylan, though, takes care of a lot of the germs. Often, respiratory illness is a secondary infection, coming on the heels of other problems, often not as obvious. Good-luck!

BTW, the best thing you can do to stop the tapeworm cycle is to remove manure and don't compost it! Keep the coop scrupulously clean. The birds will shed tapeworm bits for 2 weeks, then they'll bet taken into intermediary hosts that the chickens will eat and then it will continue. Break the cycle with good husbandry.

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Coryza IS one of many CRD's. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
There is a foul odor about the head area if they have coryza. There is no telling which CRD you're dealing with unless bloodwork or a necrosy is done. Antibiotics such as tylan, baytril, duramycin etc...will only treat symptoms and not cure the disease. I recommend you follow strict biosecurity procedures. To kill the tapeworms you need to dose them with valbazen (albendazole.) It is a liquid cattle/sheep wormer. Dosage is given orally, 1/2cc for standard size and 1/4cc for smaller chickens. Redose again in 10 days after initial worming.
http://healthybirds.umd.edu/Disease/Deworming Birds.pdf

 

[TnChickHen]

So if I treat the symptom, and if there is no cure for it, what should I do? They don't have coryza, as I've not noticed any foul odor near the head. Should I cull? Can you explain the biosecurity procedures???

 

[dawg53]

Here's a link to biosecurity:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=30851
Some people treat, some people cull. That is a choice that you have to make. I have always maintained a closed flock and havnt had to deal with CRD. Even a closed flock wouldnt stop a wild bird from introducing something. As a matter of fact, I think that's how one of my hens picked up tapeworms from under a tree that wild birds had gathered while migrating back north last spring. As far as CRD problems, I've been lucky in that regard by not having to deal with it, but if did, I personally would have to make the very difficult decision to cull rather than treat.