Started with sulmet, bought some corid, now what?

[seventreesfarm]

The funny thing in all the reading I did today about both sulmet and corid is that they both have about 50/50 supporters. Some swear sulmet is better because it is stronger, and corid is not so good because it can cause trouble due to thiamine deficiency. Other people swear by corid because it is milder and kills more kinds of cocci, and sulmet is bad because it can be rough on already damaged intestines.

And then you gave people who use both, people who use neither, and people who say it depends on your region and climate...

So I have to just pick something and go with it, and take notes, and see what seems to work in my situation. It's hard to make a judgement call when things that have worked for my 40+ years of raising chickens stop working so well :/

 

[seminolewind]

Sulfadimethoxine is the third one. It's not Sulmet. I've seen it also called Di-Methox. It's pretty easy on them as well as Corrid

 

[casportpony]

Albon is also sulfadimethoxine, and I believe it's what vets usually prescribe for puppies and maybe kittens, but don't quote me on that!

Di Methox is 12.5% sulfadimethoxine (125mg/ml)
Albon is 5% sulfadimethoxine (50mg/ml)

-Kathy

 

[seventreesfarm]

I haven't seen those available locally. Luckily I have some corid now too, and only the one chick was really affected. The rest seem just fine.

 

[casportpony]

I haven't seen those available locally. Luckily I have some corid now too, and only the one chick was really affected. The rest seem just fine.

I haven't seen them either. The Di Methox can be purchased online without a prescription, but the Albon is prescription only, I think. Makes no sense, cause both are the same drug, just different mg per ml.

-Kathy

 

[seminolewind]

I know Ranch Hand by me and I think Tractor supply carry it under Di-methox.

 

[casportpony]

I know Ranch Hand by me and I think Tractor supply carry it under Di-methox.

Good to know, I'll check TSC next time I'm there. FWIW, it also comes in powder form, which I didn't know, lol.

-Kathy

 

[Michael Apple]

I have used sodium sulfamethazine (Sulmet), Sulfadimethoxine powder, and Amprolium (Corid) over the years. Amprolium is effective on most strains of coccidiosis, but not all. Some intestinal strains are more vulnerable to Sulfadimethoxine. Sulfadimethoxine is easier on the liver and kidneys than sodium sulfamethazine. it is used for coccidiosis, bacterial enteritis, and fowl cholera. The problem is it is not FDA approved for birds used for human consumption. It was once commonly used in the poultry business. The FDA is, in many ways, a bribed, bought and paid for government organization of bureaucrats serving the interests of those corporations with the most money. They'll serve the interests of GMO companies to dominate the market food chain, but try and tell you Fenbendazole has no withdrawal period in Turkeys, but does for chickens. Common sense and doing your own research through scientifically performed university trials tells us more than the FDA ever will.

Aside from that little rant, I have allowed 2 week withdrawal periods from Sulfadimethoxine, birds recovered, and eggs were eaten by me with no noticeable change in appearance or taste. In Russia and other European countries, Sulfadimethoxine is prescribed to humans for a number of intestinal problems. Dosage is important to follow. I have used Durvet brand Sulfadimethoxine soluble powder to treat chickens @ 1/2 , 1, and 2 tsp per gallon depending on symptoms and results. With a bad outbreak of diarrhea, where Amprolium or antibiotics have proven to be unsuccessful, I have used 2 tsp per gallon the first day, then 1 tsp per gallon for 3 to 5 more days. I would not recommend it if there is blood in droppings. If there is blood, and hopefully problems are recognized before that happens, an even better med is approved in Europe known as Baycox. The ingredient is Toltrazuril, and has been found to be very effective on all strains of Cocci protozoa. The only med containing it in the states is labeled for pigeons and is called Coxiworm. it is a 2 in 1 formula of Praziquantel, Pyrantel which eliminates all intestinal worms, and Toltrazuril to eliminate Cocci. Many people think you have to double up on dosage of certain pigeon meds since chickens are a larger animal. Pigeons have a higher metabolism than chickens, so often the amount for an individual pigeon is adequate for a chicken. It is always best to contact the manufacturer of a medication if one has any questions about dosage.

I can't stress the importance enough for preventative use of adequate levels of vitamins, minerals, and probiotics in addition to a proper diet. It should not be overdone either due to problems like hypervitaminosis which can arise. Maintaining a strong immune system begins in the intestinal tract, and makes treatment with medication less likely, or at least for less duration of time. A well managed yard, coop, and range is important too. I see new folks often entertaining the idea of their own flock without realizing how much work is needed for it.

Here is some info I've posted before about Coccidiosis, and the strains which are more vulnerable to certain medications (see Table 4 ) : http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1138/coccidiosis-control

 

[seventreesfarm]

Thanks for all the info about other options for medicating chickens. Kinda the same deal in medicating most other livestock. Sometimes the best usage isn't the one on the label...

I haven't had to deal with most of these since in my 40+ years of chicken keeping I have rarely had issues like this (knock wood!). I run 3 different flocks, plus my brooder coop, and each flock has access to about 1/4 acre run. The coops are nice and dry, good ventilation, clean bedding in the nest/roost areas and dust yards. The paddocks are rotated and left fallow regularly, and we plant a good forage mix every so often. I've been working on my own strain of olive eggers, and some are 4th generation crosses and back crosses, so I am keeping an eye out for problems that might have a genetic component so I can avoid breeding those.
We also supplement with cooked squash and beans and chopped kale in winter.

Unfortunately we feed conventional layer pellets, but the mill is close by and the feed is always fresh from local grains. It actually smells like something a human might eat instead of the nasty stale chemical smell from some feeds. We do feed homegrown wheat and corn for treats (mostly to get them scratching up their bedding at bedtime).

I have another hatch on the 17th, and trying to decide between my usual medicated feed for a few weeks, or preventative corid. The weather has still been alternating downpours and warm, so I imagine the cocci are still getting busy...