Thanks so much Chickielady! I will check out the link above. I almost bought the Denagard but had already purchased the Duramycin. I almost returned it and ordered the Denagard online but didn't want to wait (and it was $50 and I had already spent $150 for the visit and testing). I didn't find Tylosan locally (or read elswhere Tylan) but didn't try every place I could have). I just wanted to be done at that point and move forward. I didn't want to treat with abx in the first place because I want disease resistant birds (same reason you culled and no longer treat the MG). All our other birds never became ill and are still healthy. Are you saying it would be okay to add new birds at some point with probable antibodies in my flock?
Regarding "the Solution" - my question is this, how does adding chlorine to their drinking water affect the birds' gut flora? I would think it would throw it out of balance, killing off the good bacteria in their guts, which would compromise their natural defenses. Another breeder I got birds from puts chlorine in his birds water because he said its the only way to keep the algae down. He has vigorous, healthy birds and he breeds for resistance and culls heavily. He does not treat with antibiotics. When he told me about the chlorine in the water I had the same thought but didn't ask the question, so I'm wondering if you know. I have been giving probiotics to the girls that got the abx because they were in the same tractor (even though they were not sick) to help replace their good bacteria - wouldn't the chlorine negate this? If not, I would love to have a way to keep diseases at bay, keep the birds strong and the water clean. Thanks!
I can also say I had a few birds who repeatedly came down with MG, while flock mates never did.
It seems their individual immunal systems either were stronger in the first place, or their immunal systems had evolved enough to combat the disease.
As far as the "solution"...it is given in poultry water fresh daily.
The birds drinking from the same system can pass that (and any other) disease just as we would if we all drank from the same glass.
The solution cleans their mouths & nasal systems, which is where the infection is.
Remember, when they are on an antibiotic, their immunal system will 'rest' sort of, and in the mean time, bacterial (and fungal) infections can thrive.
The collibacilliosis bacteria are thriving in the nasal passages & mouth, and passed to each other by way of the water system.
NOTHING kills e.colli or any other coliform bacteria, except Chlorine bleach.
I also want to mention that this is not a huge amount of chlorine, it is about the same as hot tubs & public swimming pools, and is safe.
The reason we use the solution 24/7 (for well birds, use 1 T per gallon of their water) is because their fonts often hold at least a gallon, and chlorine 'burps' (evaporates) out into the air easily...and that, combined with bacteria, lead to an infected water supply in a half a day.
Especially if the birds can step in it, kick poo into it, you get my drift.
Raising fish for as long as I did, I learned to fill a 5 gallon bucket & let it sit for 24 hrs, and then use it to change the aquarium water, as the chlorine would then be burped.
* If you are on a city water system, this may not be the case as alot of metropolitan water systems have gone to using Chloramine, and it behaves very differently than chlorine (gas) does.
*Then I also want to point out, that almost all poultry farms, and any farms, really, have their own well systems.
While our water may come out of the well testing perfect with no coliform bacteria, and therefore not be chlorinated, it is even faster to be contaminated in the coops & barn yards, for the pigs, sheep, poultry, what have you.
We have chlorinaters on our wells here....(Dosatrons)..but we use chlorine (not chloramine), which, as I said, burps fast !
So, I keep a jug of the solution LABEL IT & keep it under the sink in the barn, and I dose 1 T per gallon of drinking water, for each coop, daily.
The solution has no effect on the digestive system.
The solution just gives you, hoprfully, cleaner water for a little while longer (and as I said, most farms have NO chlorine in the first place)
It is also a good idea to not use the solution if you use galvinized water fonts.
I don't...I use plastic.
Those who use a line fed or suspended bucket/nipple water system probably do not need to worry about cross contamination, other than if the bucket & lines themselves get cruddy.
It happens.
Water systems that use tiny 'cups' should also use the solution, as more than one bird can drink from the same cup & cross contamination can occur.
Remember, chlorine (and/or Chloramine) is in every metroplitan water system in the USA and Canada, and most all of Europe.
Mexico, does not, so we take pills before we go there !!
Chlorine is the ONLY thing that kills the bacteria & disease that have killed zillions of people all over the world for millineum....so many devastating diseases are water born !
I have used it ever since I got my lab test back from WSU, and it said Coliform/colibacilliosis, and they told me to use the solution, and after birds dropping dead for months, the deaths stopped, and they have been healthy since.
I no longer use any antibiotics, unless a chick is ill...and I really am sure it has no congenital disease (and I really need that one chick !)
My birds have been super healthy ever since.
PM me if you want directions for the Tiamulin, it only has directions for pigs.
