Snotty, raspy chickens

[keesmom]

Your friend may be mistakenly thinking of medicated chick starter. It contains amprolium to prevent coccidiosis. I don't recall of ever hearing of a feed containing tetracycline.

 

[BantamLover21]

Okay ...so I have been trying VERY hard to find the feed with tetracycline to no avail. I have tried everywhere. Is the tetracycline in the water going to be enough to treat them successfully? I'm worried that the are not feeling well enough to drink therefore not getting the medication they so desperately need. I am sooo worried. I have called everywhere looking for the feed, I've even looked online to see if I could buy it. I just can't find it anywhere. Any suggestions?

As far as I know, there is no feed that contains the antibiotic tetracycline. Medicated feed (is that what you're thinking of?) contains Amprolium, which is a drug used in treating Coccidiosis. Amprolium is not at all effective in treating other diseases.

If you are worried that your birds aren't drinking enough of the Tetracycline water, either give them water with an eye dropper or by tube feeding them, or go to an injectable antibiotic. Tylan50 or Tylan200 is the best injectable antibiotic for treating respiratory diseases. The dosage for Tylan50 is 1cc for large-fowl, .5ccs for bantams, injected into one side of the breast once daily for 5 days. The Tylan200 dosage is .5ccs for large-fowl, .2-.3ccs for bantams, injected into one side of the breast once daily for 3-4 days. Alternate the side of the breast that you inject into, and use the smallest gauge needle possible because Tylan tends to make the injection area sore. Improvement should be seen within the first three days of Tylan treatment.

 

[Noobchick]

So much of chicken keeping is learning the hard way. Now you know to quarantine for at least 30 days; even better, only hatch your own chicks or bring only day old chicks into your flock. Sometimes even 30 days isn't enough to see illnesses that may be present. I know it's hard, but I'd really recommend culling. They will always be carriers, always be prone to other illnesses thanks to weakened immune systems, and prone to flare ups from stress. Sometimes keeping chickens just sucks. I really recommend you do some more research here on this site before deciding to keep sick birds.

 

[christie22701]

So much of chicken keeping is learning the hard way. Now you know to quarantine for at least 30 days; even better, only hatch your own chicks or bring only day old chicks into your flock. Sometimes even 30 days isn't enough to see illnesses that may be present. I know it's hard, but I'd really recommend culling. They will always be carriers, always be prone to other illnesses thanks to weakened immune systems, and prone to flare ups from stress. Sometimes keeping chickens just sucks. I really recommend you do some more research here on this site before deciding to keep sick birds.

I really am hesitant in culling the flock. I am VERY attached to these birds and the thought of putting them down breaks my heart. I'm giving them the tetra. In their water. I cleaned out their nares today, some were completely blocked and I could actually smell the sickness, in more than others. It's only been four days of antibiotics.. Today I took a syringe and forced fluids on them to give them an extra boost. Egg production has dropped tremendously. Out of 12 chickens I only got three eggs today, which I discarded of course. Is that normal given the illness? I'm not hatching any eggs.

 

[mithious]

They will not ever be healthy again if they have one of the chicken viral respiratory diseases, which they probably do. They may get over the symptoms but will always have the disease, it might pass through the egg to the next generation, and will probably recur. You need to keep a closed flock, that is, never let birds or hatching eggs leave your property. Or, do what many old timers here would do and cull.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/715540/sneezing-coughing-and-now-a-buggery-nose-on-my-roo/0_20

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

X2

 

[mithious]

Okay ...so I have been trying VERY hard to find the feed with tetracycline to no avail. I have tried everywhere. Is the tetracycline in the water going to be enough to treat them successfully? I'm worried that the are not feeling well enough to drink therefore not getting the medication they so desperately need. I am sooo worried. I have called everywhere looking for the feed, I've even looked online to see if I could buy it. I just can't find it anywhere. Any suggestions?

Fred's hen's recommended this to me, when I was struggling to get corid in my birds...tip some of the treated water into enough feed that they will eat in about 2 hours. Trust me, they will eat. Mine were off their feed, and not drinking and I was dipping beaks for bout two days, 24 hours, every two hours...mine LOVED the mushy feed and got the meds into them. I saw a huge difference in a matter of hours after they gobbled it up, even the ones off the feed, ate it. I had my doubts but he was right. They LOVED it, thus getting a good amount of the meds into them and I didn't have to keep dipping beaks. Just don't let it stand longer than 2 hours, or there about.

The medicated feed? I think your friend might've been worried that they could get cocci, which a medicated feed could help prevent...stressed birds can and will come down with secondary infections...If it were me, I would keep some corid on hand, just incase...as the med feed isn't for and outbreak of cocci, just a way to try to help them build an immunity. It doesn't have enough amprolium in it.

Sorry you had to learn this lesson the hard way!!! You should think about having chicken boots and clothes too, as you could inadvertently infect another flock, just going to the feed store, or any where...if it were me? I'd start reading up on biosecurity and what a closed flock means.

Best to you, and praying for you all too!

 

[mithious]

As far as I know, there is no feed that contains the antibiotic tetracycline. Medicated feed (is that what you're thinking of?) contains Amprolium, which is a drug used in treating Coccidiosis. Amprolium is not at all effective in treating other diseases.

If you are worried that your birds aren't drinking enough of the Tetracycline water, either give them water with an eye dropper or by tube feeding them, or go to an injectable antibiotic. Tylan50 or Tylan200 is the best injectable antibiotic for treating respiratory diseases. The dosage for Tylan50 is 1cc for large-fowl, .5ccs for bantams, injected into one side of the breast once daily for 5 days. The Tylan200 dosage is .5ccs for large-fowl, .2-.3ccs for bantams, injected into one side of the breast once daily for 3-4 days. Alternate the side of the breast that you inject into, and use the smallest gauge needle possible because Tylan tends to make the injection area sore. Improvement should be seen within the first three days of Tylan treatment.

Tylan injectable can also cause the area injected to become necrotic...I just found out about this med, on here, doing some research...and read that...they say to keep an eye on the site that you inject into.

 

[keesmom]

Your friend may be mistakenly thinking of medicated chick starter. It contains amprolium to prevent coccidiosis. I don't recall of ever hearing of a feed containing tetracycline.

Well, maybe I am wrong. I was at a different feed store yesterday and did see some that contains chlortetracycline. Not sure what the difference is between that and tetracycline. It's Manna Pro Aureomycin. It's supposedly suitable for a variety of livestock, including poultry with CRD or fowl cholera. Here is the link.

http://www.mannapro.com/products/cattle/aureomycin/

The site states: Control of chronic respiratory disease (CRD) and air sac infection caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Escherichia coli susceptible to Chlortetracycline

so there's no guarantee it will work.​

 

[jimgunn]

Can any one help me here. I think I have a hen with Infectious Bronchitis. I made my own thread but haven't had much luck. The hen has fluid coming from her nose that dries over her nostrils. She is also very raspy when making general noises and sneezes. I have separated her from the flock in case it is IB but I am not sure if it is. She is still absolutely fine in herself. She was roaming round the farm, scratching and feeding, tail up and very perky, just with the odd sneeze which made me aware of her. None of the other chickens have any symptoms and we have had no drop in the amount of eggs being laid. If anyone could confirm what it is and how to treat her then I would be very greatful.

 

[christie22701]

Can any one help me here. I think I have a hen with Infectious Bronchitis. I made my own thread but haven't had much luck. The hen has fluid coming from her nose that dries over her nostrils. She is also very raspy when making general noises and sneezes. I have separated her from the flock in case it is IB but I am not sure if it is. She is still absolutely fine in herself. She was roaming round the farm, scratching and feeding, tail up and very perky, just with the odd sneeze which made me aware of her. None of the other chickens have any symptoms and we have had no drop in the amount of eggs being laid. If anyone could confirm what it is and how to treat her then I would be very greatful.

It sounds like exactly what my birds have. A good way to tell if there is a full blown infection is to pick up your chicken and smell their nares. You will know if she is sick. If you have read the thread you see all the recommendations about isolation which you have done. So that's good. I just didn't like reading that the problem will never go away and my flock will always have a compromised immune system. Get her started on an antibiotic, my vet said Tetracycline. She said there are about 100 different respiratory diseases that chickens can get so unless you cull her and send her for necropsy you won't know exactly what she has (had). For me, culling isn't an option. I'm not giving up on my chickens. I will treat and keep.