Upper respiratory disease?????

[Plain Old Dee]

I've never had much luck with baby chicks - which is why I bought adult (semi adult?) birds. I guess in the future I'll put together a brooder for babies and get an incubator and try it that way.

Back years ago we had LOTS of chickens, but this never cropped up!

 

[speckledhen]

I'm sorry you're having to deal with all this. It has to be very disheartening.

 

[Plain Old Dee]

Yeah - I found the "Chicken got a Cold" thread and read it - after I started this thread.

We shall perservere!

 

[Chris09]

If it is CRD ( Chronic Respiratory Disease )...
If CRD is common in your area, you can use medicated chick starter to help them from not getting it, or vaccinate with LS-50. If you do have it, you can either allow it to run its course, and cull birds that can't get over this on their own, or treat with the medications listed below to assist them in recovering. Keep this in mind, if you decide to medicate, you may be allowing your birds to NOT develop a natural immunity. If you allow them to deal with the problem on their own, and they get better quickly, they will have some degree of natural immunity, which will make your flock stronger in the long run. Either way, birds that can't get over the symptoms that CRD produces should be culled, or at the very least, not used as brood stock.

Causes
Mycoplasma Gallisepticum Bacteria infection.

Symptoms
Rattle in the chest while breathing. (Sometimes the rattle doesn't show up until the birds are on the roost in the evening, and that is the best time to check for this condition.)
Bubbles in the eye.
Runny nose.
Coughing or sneezing.
Note: Not all symptoms need be present to have CRD. Symptoms may return from tissue damage to the lungs during stress, even after they have recovered from the initial infection.

Treatments
Tylan
Gallimycin
Baytril

Do NOT consume eggs from treated birds until at least 7 days from the end of treatments.

Mycoplasmosis (CRD, Air sac, Sinusitis)

Organisms in the genus Mycoplasma are a significant cause of respiratory disease in poultry. Of the numerous species of Mycoplasma that have been isolated from domestic poultry, three are of known significance. Mycoplasma gallisepticum is associated with chronic respiratory disease (CRD)/air sac syndrome in chickens and turkeys and infectious sinusitis of turkeys; Mycoplasma meleagridis is associated with airsacculitis in turkeys; and Mycoplasma synoviae is the cause of infectious synovitis in chickens and turkeys.

Chronic respiratory disease (CRD), air sac syndrome and infectious sinusitis of turkeys have a common cause. CRD was first recognized as a chronic but mild respiratory disease of adult chickens. It reduced egg production but caused little or no mortality. Afterward, a condition known as "air sac disease" became a problem in young birds. It caused high mortality in some flocks. Many birds became stunted, feed efficiency was reduced, and many fowl were rejected as unfit for human consumption when processed.

Infectious sinusitis in turkeys produces a sinus swelling under the eye as well as an inflammation of respiratory organs. It is a chronic disease adversely affecting growth and feed conversion. It may also cause significant mortality in young poults.

A peculiar bacterial-like organism known as Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is common to all three conditions. CRD and sinusitis in turkeys are caused by a pure MG infections while the air sac syndrome is caused by an infection of MG in combination with E. coli. These conditions are triggered by acute respiratory infections such as Newcastle disease or infectious bronchitis.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum is widespread and affects many species of birds. Eradication programs have reduced the incidence in recent years. It is primarily spread through the egg. Infected hens transmit organisms and the chick or poult is infected when it hatches. Organisms may also be transmitted by direct contact with infected or carrier birds.

The true CRD produces slight respiratory symptoms such as coughing, sneezing and a nasal discharge. In the air sac syndrome there is an extensive involvement of the entire respiratory system. The air sacs are often cloudy and contain large amounts of exudate. Affected birds become droopy, feed consumption decreases and there is a rapid loss of body weight.

Infectious sinusitis in turkeys occurs in two forms. When the "upper" form is present, there is only a swelling of the sinus under the eye. In the "lower" form, the lungs and air sacs are involved. The air sacs become cloudy and may contain large amounts of exudate. Both forms of the disease are usually present in the flock and frequently are present in the same bird.

Diagnosis of either condition must be based on flock history, symptoms and lesions. Blood tests are useful in determining whether a flock is infected.

The answer to the MG problem in both chickens and turkeys is eradication of the disease organisms. This goal has been achieved in commercial breeding flocks with voluntary programs conducted by the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) and National Turkey Improvement Plan (NTIP). The treatment of CRD, air sac syndrome and the lower form of infectious sinusitis is not considered satisfactory. Many antibiotics have been used with varying success. Whether to give treatment is a decision that must be made on each flock based on economic factors. If treatment is attempted, give high levels of one of the broad spectrum antibiotics (Tylan, Gallimycin, Baytril) either in feed, drinking water or by injections. The "upper"; form of infectious sinusitis can be treated with success by injecting antibiotics into the swollen sinus cavity.

Infomation from ultimate fowl . com / wiki / index . php ? title = CRD
and there Infomation came from Mississippi State University

Chris

 

[speckledhen]

Chris, medicated chick starter is only medicated against coccidiosis, not other diseases, except maybe enteritis, which to me is cocci gone wild.

 

[Chris09]

Gallimycin:
A respiratory antibiotic used for the treatment of CRD, Infectious Coryza and other respiratory problems in fowl.

Gallimycn-100 Injectable

1/4 cc in the breast for 3 to 5 days.

Water soluble Gallimycn

2 grams per gallon in drinking water for 5 days. Birds must consume 1/2 gallon of water for the treatment to be effective.
Gallimycin can be purchased at most farm supply stores over the counter.

Tylan 200
1/4 cc in breast for 3 consecutive days for adult size birds.
1/8 cc in breast for 3 consecutive days for bantam sized birds.
Tylan 50
1/2 cc in breast for 3 consecutive days for adult sized birds.
1/4 cc in breast for 3 consecutive days for bantam sized birds.

Make sure you angle the needle so you inject just under the skin, and not deep in the muscle tissue.
You will need to use a large needle on your syringe due to the solution thickness of Tylan. (20 to 22 gauge needle works best)
Make sure you inject in a different spot each day.
Tylan can be purchased at most farm supply stores, over the counter in the cattle section

Baytril is a medication used for the treatment of respiratory problems in your fowl like CRD.
Baytril tablets: 1 x 5 mg enrofloxacin per kg bodyweight (bw) daily: 15 mg tablet: 1 tablet per 3 kg 50 mg tablet: 1 tablet per 10 kg 150 mg tablet : 1 tablet per 30 kg
Baytril 2.5 % Injectable solution: 0.2 ml per 1 kg daily. 0.2 ml is equivalent to 5 mg enrofloxacin Baytril 5% and 10% injectable: The dose is 2.5 - 5mg per kg or 5 - 10ml 5% injectable solution (resp. 2,5 to 5 ml 10% injectable solution per 100 kg Baytril Max (Baytril 100) 10% injectable solution: 7.5 mg / kg is equal to 7.5 ml per 100kg
Baytril 0,5% oral solution (piglet-doser): 1 pump stroke (1ml) per 2 kg is equivalent to 2.5mg per kg. In severe cases of respiratory disease this dose can be doubled. Baytril 2,5% oral solution: 5ml per 50 kg In severe cases of respiratory disease this dose can be doubled.
Baytril 10% oral solution: the dosage is 10mg per kg in chicken and turkeys. This equals drinking water concentrations of 50 to 100ml 10% oral solution per 100 liters of drinking water.

This medication is by prescription only, and you must see a vet to get it.

Retrieved from ultimatefowl . com / wiki / index . php ? title = Category : Index

Chris

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
I saw and thought that too..

The only thing I can figure is that if a chick has cocci then its going to be weak and more prone to illness..

chris

 

[Plain Old Dee]

Went out this morning, and expected the poor hen that was working so hard just to breath last night to be dead. Her comb and wattles were so gray I was just sure she'd be dead.

She wasn't. This morning she is still obviously not feeling well, but her comb and wattles are pink - they aren't red yet, but pink is better than grey. She is still not breathing very well, but whatever was causing her to not be able to breath seems to be breaking up. She's coughing - after she coughs a couple of times, she can breath pretty well. She's also eating and drinking - and picking on anything smaller than she is that gets between her and whatever she's after. I don't think she's out of the woods yet, but I'll take what I can get!