Wheezing with evevry breath....

[cnj-tx50]

Everyone was out and doing their chicken thing this morning. We had a big storm in the middle of the night and cooled us down about 10 degrees. Very nice this morning. The diarrhea seems to have started last night and their was also a soft almost clear shell egg that is in the roost. Some have white kind of paste looking butts. I am cleanin our the coop today and replacing the straw. Even the first one that came down with this sounds so much better this morning. I had mixed up 3.5 gallons of water yesterday and they have gone thru the better part of it, so maybe we are on the right track.

Thank you so much for all the help and hope to hear more from ya'll!!!

 

[bej8895]

what is swollen eyes and runny nose?

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
cnj-TX50: Good for the drop in temperature. (Can you send us some cool weather down here on the coast, pretty please?) The diarrhea is because the duramycin at that strength really killed off the good bacteria. I would very very highly recommend going out and buying either the Probios powder or paste, or acidophilis capsules or tablets (vitamin section of the food store) for them and going ahead to use it.

Duramycin binds with calcium. That's why the egg is soft shelled, but you cannot add more calcium to their diet during treatment because it will bind with the medicine and not allow it to work.

The birds with the white pasty vents had diarrhea. THey will all be a bit dehdyrated so if you use water for their mashes, try using pedialyte instead.

On the other hand, they're breathing better - so these side effects can be managed, and the meds allowed to do their work which is all-in-all good news.

bej8895: I'm not sure I understand your question?

 

[cnj-tx50]

Just made more water as they had drank all from yesterday. No more wheezing and all seem to be doing better. Got everything cleaned up. At least they are eating and drinking and I will see about changing the medicine over. Thanks so much for all your help and I have learned a lesson for sure!!!!

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
Good! This means that the antibiotic you chose was the right one. Keep using it for no less than 7 days. I prefer 10. Nice!!

 

[cnj-tx50]

Still on the meds and most are doing great!! But two seems to be having a hard time. One now has a watery eye and another another is having a hard time breathing. Holds head back to breath. Anything else I should do? Different antibotics?

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
Are these the ones on the meds, or not?
How many days on the meds now?
If they get worse, you might switch meds. Also make good and sure it's nothing environmental - not heat, not cedar shavings, no hay, etc.

 

[cnj-tx50]

Everyone sems to have settled down for the night. The One that I thought was having a hard time with the breathing has now been eating and drinking!!! I guess I was a "mom" that panics at the drop of the hat!!! Oh Well!! Thanks to Threehoreses and her wisdom!!

 

[cnj-tx50]

OK!!! It has been seven days now and still on the cynamycin. Everyone seems to be coming out of this and doing fine. Some are still wanting to sleep alot so I just push them out of the coop into the yard several times a days. No eggs still. Will eggs return once I stop the antibotics on Saturday? Also, they don't seem to sure of the pine shavings? Is this normal for a change? If they are still sneezing on Saturday should I give a break and start over?

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
If they're still sneezing saturday, keep the meds on for another 7 days (total 14 days). Don't stop for even one day. And yes - sunshine is brilliant for them. And fresh air. Try VetRx in their nares to help the medicine have less to do. VetRx in their rooves of their mouths, too.

It might be that the 'mycin isn't a strong enough antibiotic or that there's slight resistance. (Which is why I don't like 'mycins and 'cyclines usually). YOu could alternately do 3 days of Tylan50 injections starting Saturday but I would never ever stop treating them with some antibiotic as long as they're sneezing - they're still ill, still infective, still spreading the virus or bacteria via aerosolized droplets.

The eggs will only return when their bodies are done fighting the illness. Not when the meds stop. Illness decreases or completely halts egg production. Sometimes that's the only sign you'll see of illness.