Took my hen to the vet and this is what he said........

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

She may have a possible Air Sacculitis. He gave her the antibiotic Sulfameth. Anyone know anything about these two things? I have tried giving her the med but it takes her breath so much its just a struggle to give it straight to her. I have been mixing it with her snacks and hoping she is getting atleast most of it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Air sacculitis is a respiratory infection of the air sacs which are all over the body. In broiler chickens E.Coli can be the bacteria. What are your bird's symptoms? Sulfameth is a common sulfa drug equivalent to bactrim used to treat many infections. Are you supposed to give it straight or mixed in water, or in pill form? What dose did your vet order? I haven't used it myself, but maybe others who have will give tips. Some bitter tasting meds can be made more tempting by adding a bit of liquid jello or cranberry juice as a sustitute for part of the water. Here is a link about air sacculitis: http://www.poultryindustrycouncil.ca/pdfs/factsheets/fs_136.pdf

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

Her symptoms are abnormal breathing. She was to take like deep breaths with her mouth open. That's all she is a little slower than normal. I mixed her med with some treats its much easier on her like that. she gets 1 CC of liquid form. I don't know what a broiler chicken is.....she is a Blue Red Laced Wynodotte and is a pet.

 

[Eggcessive]

Broilers are meat chickens. It's interesting about the open mouthed deep breathing. Lot's of people post that as a symptom in their sick chickens. I hope your hen gets better soon.

 

[realsis]

I think air sacculitis is like a inflammation of the air sacs and it is a secondary infection brought on by a respitory illness. I've never used silphameth myself but that's a sulfa based antibiotic. I could continue treatment as required by your doctor. I looked up the airsacculitis and see it can be also treated with tylosin or tylan50. There are is a lot of information about it if you google air sacculitis in poultry. I think it may benefit you to read a bit more about it. I hope this helps you out and wish you the best

 

[Nambroth]

I just finished giving a 10 day course of sulfa-based antibiotics to my rooster. These meds taste terrible and even my rooster, who is a happy glutton right now since he's a growing teenager, would turn away any food that I applied it to. I had to give it directly a few times, and you are right, it's a real struggle. Despite this, it's important that your hen get the full course and complete dose each time. To this end, it is a bad idea to offer it in water, because the bird is unlikely to get a complete dose (and may associate the water with the bad taste, and not drink enough). What ended up working best for me was to make an oatmeal and mix in his favorite treats, then use the syringe the medicine came with to 'inject' a little of the antibiotic into bite-sized balls of the thick oatmeal. He ate these without tasting the medicine because he swallowed them whole. This might also work with bread, by balling up pieces of soft bread and putting the liquid into them.

If you can't get her to eat it, it is worth the strife to directly administer the medicine, but please do be careful not to aspirate her. Once her mouth is open, slide the needle-less syringe into her esophagus and administer it. As might be obvious, never use a needle to do this!
Here is a link with photos on how to dose a bird orally. It is a peafowl, but chickens look the same, just smaller. The airhole will look smaller in a chicken. It is always in the center, and looks like it is behind the tongue. The esophagus is to one side (to your left, if you are looking at a chicken head on).

http://www.hopkinslivestock.com/oral_dosing_article.htm

 

[Eggcessive]

Sulfameth comes in pill form which may be easier to administer to chickens. I would imagine the dose would be a 1/4 of a tablet or less for chickens, but I haven't used it. Link: http://www.1800petmeds.com/Sulfamethoxazole+and+Trimethoprim+Tablets+Double+Strength-prod10046.html

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

Thank you all. I have been doing the oatmeal and that has been working pretty good. I tried with grapes this morning. I put a small amount on it and that worked pretty good too. I also mixed it with shredded chees and that works pretty good also. No, def. not put in water cause they probably wouldn't drink it. So, as long as she is getting it in the food this is ok??

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

she is getting some of the meds but not all of it. I think she has caught on to what I am doing.

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

I have some antibiotic from the feed store I cant pronounce the name of it but it begins with a T and you put it in their water. it says its for air sacculitus. well to control it. so I put it in several of the water things today and am going to put it in the others tomorrow. I hope between that and the antibiotic from the vet she will be ok. she isn't getting all of the med from the vet. I am putting it in her food and sometimes she eats it like today she didn't get much.