VetRX not working

[sean_wonder]

No, I cannot go to the vet. I am a teen and I can’t afford to take them, nor does my county permit them. Their eggs are perfectly normal, not a single wrinkled or shell-less. What does MG stand for? I have the chicken health book and have been trying to figure out what it is, but everything in the book sounds much more extreme than what’s going on.

 

[sean_wonder]

I will also add despite the random wheezing sound they do breathe with their mouth closed.

 

[Eggcessive]

The problem is that since injectable tylan (tylosin) has become scarce, the pigeon companies have been selling out of the tylosin. They should get some back in, but I would check around. Normally, it is obtained by prescription through a vet, but you can get it online without a script for pigeons, usually at jedds or foys. Here is one that states it is instock:
https://www.nepigeonsupplies.com/product/tylosin-powder/

 

[Eggcessive]

MG is mycoplasma gallisepticum a chronic respiratory disease (also called CRD) that causes sneezing, watery or bubbly eye, sunken eye with conjuctivitis, and may also cause swelling of the eyelids or face from sinus infection. It makes your chickens all carriers for life. If you do not see eye bubbles or swelling of the eye, and only sneezing with some congestion, you may only be dealing with infectious bronchitis (IB.) It makes your chickens all carriers for 5 months up to a year. Here is some reading about MG:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/ext... Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

 

[sean_wonder]

They definitely do not have MG-- no eye swelling. But infectious bronchitis typically also has minor eye swelling/colored discharge of the nose, which they do not have, but it does seem they have the "rales"-- the bubbly sound they make on occasion.

 

[sean_wonder]

If it is IB, would I still use Tysolin? What can I do to prevent IB in the future? I know about biosecurity and make visitors wash hands before/after as well as wear our specific chicken shoes, so I'm guessing a squirrel carried it in. No new chickens. If it's IB, is the best treatment to let it run its course? Is my daily application of VetRX helping? Also, if VetRX is just a "vapor rub" then when is it appropriate to use?

 

[Eggcessive]

IB does not cause swelling of the eyes unless it is in combination with MG or coryza. When I had an outbreak of IB it went completely through my flock eventually. They only had clear then nasal drainage, some rattly breathing, and sneezing, and a couple had wrinkled or misshapen egg shells, a symptom of IB. It only lasts a month, and it clears up without an antibiotic. With MG you will see bubbles and a swollen eyelid or a sunken eye.

 

[Eggcessive]

This is what MG may look like:

 

[Fairview01]

Is there any way I can use Tylosin with the soluble powder instead of the injections? If so what’s that dosage?

Yup but getting them to drink enough of the medicated water is a real challenge. I can say from personal experience that stuff is nasty tasting. Yes i tasted it. It's been described as bitter which does not do the taste justice. I put it in my roosters water in one of those red solo cups in a show pen. He refused to drink it. He won't even drink out of the red cup with plain water. The soluble powder is no benefit if they dont drink the water.

Go injection. Use an insulin syringe. Easier to accurately withdraw and the short needle makes it safe.

 

[sean_wonder]

The girl with the big red comb is Chickie Minaj and she is currently the most sick out of all of them. She is also broody, though... but she’s still eating. Her crop is usually half full when I check it despite the broodiness. Chickie has always had that discoloration in her beak and noise, probably bc she’s half Easter Egger half Silkie. They all are.

Scabby girl is Cheryl, with the crest and muffs. Shes always had a weirdly pale and flat comb, and she’s not a great layer, but she’s one of the least sick.

Princess Laya has the wild rose comb and a fascination with the camera... so that’s why she’s so close.

Goose has the epic muffs but no crest. She’s mildly sick.

I took a picture of pretty much all of the kids eating voraciously. A video would better serve my purpose.

I also took a picture of the eggs just laid today. They seem to have some calcium deposits on them, which they usually do after I give them back their eggshells. It’s a lot of calcium all at once. They are not on layer feed, they’re on 20% protein all flock.