Vent gleet?

[bethanyjbarrette]

I’m helping my neighbor with their chickens. They have several that appear to have vent gleet. A few have cleared up pretty well with treatment but a few don’t seem to be making a ton of progress. It’s been a little over a week. Is there any chance it’s something else or there is anything I’m missing?

Photo attached.

 

[azygous]

Vent gleet is often triggered by moldy foods. If they continue to be exposed to that, it won't clear up. Inspecting the run and coop bedding is a must, and changing it to fresh may be necessary.

While very labor intensive, an Epsom salt flush can get the mold spores out of the chickens' systems. Or you can use Acidifired copper sulfate in the drinking water for a week or so to keep hitting the gleet until it is cleared up.

 

[bethanyjbarrette]

Vent gleet is often triggered by moldy foods. If they continue to be exposed to that, it won't clear up. Inspecting the run and coop bedding is a must, and changing it to fresh may be necessary.

While very labor intensive, an Epsom salt flush can get the mold spores out of the chickens' systems. Or you can use Acidifired copper sulfate in the drinking water for a week or so to keep hitting the gleet until it is cleared up.

Thank you. I think they may have been eating moldy food off the bottom of their run before I started helping out, but we've dug out all the old wet stuff and replaced the run with lots of fresh dry bedding bedding. I know the food itself coming out of the bags is fresh, we got it from a local organic feed mill and it's very fresh. So it's very possible they were exposed to mold prior to last week, but we have been very careful since then.

I've been giving epsom salt baths every other day in addition to monistat treatments - would an epsom salt flush be even more effective than that? I am also curious about the copper sulfate. Would it be more effective than an oral antifungal medicine for birds?

 

[azygous]

A flush is an oral treatment given via tubing directly into the crop twice a day for three consecutive days. It neutralizes and washes the mold out of the digestive system from beak to butt. It requires obtaining a tubing kit for a small animal which you can get from most vets for a few dollars.

The solution per chicken is half a cup of warm water with one teaspoon of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) dissolved in it. All of it. Two times a day. It's intense but well tolerated by chickens. It's perfectly safe. Clean plain water must be give between flushes as this is dehydrating, though chickens seem to be energized by it.

Copper sulfate is one of the oldest most convenient treatments for mold and yeast digestive issues. It's also safe when mixed properly with water, although the dry crystals are very dangerous to chickens. Mixed with water renders it safe, though. This is commonly used in water systems to treat lakes and ponds and drinking troughs on farms. It's convenient in that it can treat large flocks or herds of animals. Acidified copper sulfate can be found online. It's as effective as medications.

I would choose the Epsom salt flush myself as that method is most assured of getting the mold flushed out.

 

[bethanyjbarrette]

A flush is an oral treatment given via tubing directly into the crop twice a day for three consecutive days. It neutralizes and washes the mold out of the digestive system from beak to butt. It requires obtaining a tubing kit for a small animal which you can get from most vets for a few dollars.

The solution per chicken is half a cup of warm water with one teaspoon of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) dissolved in it. All of it. Two times a day. It's intense but well tolerated by chickens. It's perfectly safe. Clean plain water must be give between flushes as this is dehydrating, though chickens seem to be energized by it.

Copper sulfate is one of the oldest most convenient treatments for mold and yeast digestive issues. It's also safe when mixed properly with water, although the dry crystals are very dangerous to chickens. Mixed with water renders it safe, though. This is commonly used in water systems to treat lakes and ponds and drinking troughs on farms. It's convenient in that it can treat large flocks or herds of animals. Acidified copper sulfate can be found online. It's as effective as medications.

I would choose the Epsom salt flush myself as that method is most assured of getting the mold flushed out.

Thank you for your replies! I was looking at several other strings on vent gleet and I saw comments from you on many of them - it's clear you are very knowledgeable, so I appreciate the quick responses Hopefully we can get these girls feeling better!

In your experience, how long can they be indoors before they will be kicked out/forgotten by their flock and need a full re-integration?

 

[bethanyjbarrette]

Thank you for your replies! I was looking at several other strings on vent gleet and I saw comments from you on many of them - it's clear you are very knowledgeable, so I appreciate the quick responses Hopefully we can get these girls feeling better!

In your experience, how long can they be indoors before they will be kicked out/forgotten by their flock and need a full re-integration?

OH and also..... which of these recommended treatments can I do at the same time? Like, can they have copper sulfate in their water while they are also receiving oral anti fungal meds (we ordered some of the nystatin powder that doesn't require prescription)?

 

[Tseeburger]

OH and also..... which of these recommended treatments can I do at the same time? Like, can they have copper sulfate in their water while they are also receiving oral anti fungal meds (we ordered some of the nystatin powder that doesn't require prescription)?

Did you get your vent gleet cleared up.. I'm dealing with a difficult case I believe as well.