Tylan (Coryza?) question

[cloverfarmgirl]

Unfortunately, I have been unable to locate a vet that will look at chickens and give me a diagnosis. Even the equine vets won't look at them. My only option appears to be the state vet, and she is out all next week and can't help me, either. Basically, I'm screwed. You guys have been the most help to me. I will use what I've learned here and hope for the best.

As for the Tylan, I'm doing injections once a day. The water soluble kind was very expensive ($58 for a bottle that will only last me 7 days), and I wasn't sure if they'd drink enough of it to work. The hen that has been the most sick (and appeared to be ready to die since Sunday morning) started showing a big improvement last night. Her eyes were open again, she was walking around, and picking at the food. I felt like I was witnessing a miracle! She has given me hope that maybe something I'm doing is working. It had to be the Tylan shot, as she had not been eating or drinking at all. Keeping my fingers crossed and saying lots of prayers!

Thank you again for all your support!

 

[threehorses]

pips&peeps :

I know MS and MG can transfer to your pheasants, ILT is deadly for them.

Turkeys are notorious carriers of MG and blackhead and it is not recommended to keep any birds with them.

Actually chickens are the carriers of blackhead, but turkeys are the ones that get very sick with it. Chickens don't usually. Just fyi. (had to learn the hard way). And it's very very hard to find meds for blackhead (aka there are none without a prescription or some saavy), and harder to diagnose.

And because of that - it is indeed recommended not to keep other birds (chickens) with them. Very good recommendation.

I do, but I know the risks and probably have paid for that already once.​

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
Injections are actually better, so you lucked out.

They're supposed to be more effective although some bruising is said to occur.

YAY for early improvement - that's a great sign. Be sure to give them probiotics during the treatment. Because Tylan is tylosin, you can use yogurt without contraindication so that makes it easy. Also do every other day for two weeks thereafter.

On the vet, you can get a cat or dog vet to do the work for you if you tell them "I just want to bring a chicken in for you to do an exam, and a culture and sensitivity". C&S's are the same procedure for all species. They just have to look up what agar plate to incubate it on. They don't even have to do the sensitivity, but that is what tells you exactly what antibiotic works and which are useless.

You can do it for one bird,, and then treat the flock based on that bird if they're contagious and showing the same symptoms.

They just swab the roof of the mouth at the choanal for sinus drainage, or the eye secretions. Then use those like they would for a dog or cat.

Sometimes you kind of have to tell the vets what you want. They forget stuff because they have a lot more animals to worry about during the day, and we're worrying about one bird/flock. Or so I tell myself when I have to remind my vets to do this. /cough

 

[cloverfarmgirl]

Thanks for giving me the terminology I need to talk to the vet. I had never heard of culture and sensitivity before, so I appreciate your sharing that with me.

As for the probiotic, I've been adding Probios powder to their water. How many things can you safely add to their water altogether? Can you add electrolytes, probiotic powder, as well as a water soluble antibiotic? Do you affect the effectiveness by mixing it all?

 

[pips&peeps]

Actually chickens are the carriers of blackhead, but turkeys are the ones that get very sick with it. Chickens don't usually. Just fyi. (had to learn the hard way). And it's very very hard to find meds for blackhead (aka there are none without a prescription or some saavy), and harder to diagnose

Chickens do get blackhead. Have you read the article in this month's Fancy Fowl Magazine by Peter Brown? It is very informative and has lots of pictures of what blackhead does to chickens.​

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
Add Probios to their food instead- it does better. Mist their food with one mist of water and then dust the probios on top.

I really am n ot a big fan of adding anything to their water. Vitamin mineral packages tend to encourage bad bacteria. Probios does have some whey product in it, I believe, or at least maintenance medium that is designed for bacteria to live on it - so I don't add to water unless it's going to be gone in 15 minutes. After that, the good bacteria likely aren't viable anyway.

And if you use the antibiotic, you can't add the probios - because remember antibiotics kill bacteria. You add it to their feed, give at the opposite time of the day as when fresh treated water goes down. It may not make it, but it'll help boost numbers until the medication is done which is why I say continue 2 weeks afterwards.

Honestly, if you're not using meds, keep the probios on the food where you get more of its use, use electrolytes in a quickly eaten damp mash (great place to put the probios, too - first feeding in the morning). Keep the water clean, or use organic ACV in it for the bacteria benefits and to keep the water free of BAD bacteria at a rate of 1 teaspoon per gallon of water. There are a bunch of other benefits for chickens, but that's the top 2. (Chemically made non-organic acv doesn't have the same benefit at all.)

 

[threehorses]

pips&peeps :

Actually chickens are the carriers of blackhead, but turkeys are the ones that get very sick with it. Chickens don't usually. Just fyi. (had to learn the hard way). And it's very very hard to find meds for blackhead (aka there are none without a prescription or some saavy), and harder to diagnose

Chickens do get blackhead. Have you read the article in this month's Fancy Fowl Magazine by Peter Brown? It is very informative and has lots of pictures of what blackhead does to chickens.​

I chose my words very carefully as I said chickens don't "usually". More often they're a carrier of the disease. They do get it, but not as badly. And that chickens are the carriers. Turkeys are often killed too fast by it - it's a devestating disease to them, whereas chickens do 'better' with it.

In any case, it's yet one more reason to have a preventative worming program in place to kill the intermediate host, a cecal worm, that carries the protazoa. Especially again as I mentioned it's very difficult to get the medicine (Flagyl aka metronidazole) that is needed to treat it (rather than prevent it).

The kicker is that turkey feeds often have a blackhead prevention med in them, but it's highly toxic to waterfowl. FOr that reason, I had to start all my poults on just a game feed and risk it.

Unfortunately, as I might have mentioned, I truly believe that is what killed my adult turkey this year. But because of restrictions on medications, and the "banning" of the one poultry med we had that treated, I couldn't get the meds (or even find much info on it) until 2 days before she died and then because of the liver damage it was too late.

My experience with it is unfortunately hands on, and I've spend the last three weeks doing absolute tons of research on the subject. Maybe at least it'll help my other birds.​

 

[cloverfarmgirl]

I obviously have so much to learn about all this stuff! I'm glad I have you all to help me get through this crisis! I lost another hen this afternoon, so the optimism I was feeling about doing something right, just went out the window.

 

[threehorses]

Unfortunately, sometimes that's how it goes.

I'm sorry you lost another one. Keep trying to keep positive. It's rough, I definitely know.

Hang in there!

 

[cloverfarmgirl]

I know you're right. It's just so depressing when you lose one -- you understand, I'm sure. Thanks for all your help and support.