WHERE DO YOU GET ANTIBIOTICS

[Clucking_Crazy]

I think the original poster just wants to be prepared for future illnesses. I too am new to chickens this spring. I also see post after post of people with sick chickens getting advised to dose their chicken with this or that medication. And every new thing the chickens do does make us stop and worry & spend the next two hours staring at the flock to make sure nothing's amiss.

I have also considered getting an antibiotic just to have on hand. For instance, I see Tylan50 getting used often here.... I see it at my farm store... but sometimes the shelf is bare, sometimes it has one bottle. That makes me want to get a bottle just to have on hand, so that IF I ever need it I know I have it.

I don't know how to go about posting links on here, but isn't there a recommended "First Aid Kit" that newbies like us should assemble? Can someone post that for the OP?

 

[Clucking_Crazy]

And just for the record, I'm a RN on an Infectious Disease unit and work with the "Superbugs" every day. I would never use antibiotics without being sure it was appropriate. (Ask my kids, we have to be on our deathbeds before making a doc appointment).

I would advise everyone for any animal or human to only use antibiotics when needed for a bacterial infection, and then follow the full recommended course. (If says take for 10 days, do all 10 days no matter when symptoms start to improve or go away)

 

[aart]

I would never use antibiotics without being sure it was appropriate.

Therein lies the problem, hard to have something 'on hand' that will cover the possibilities, freshness could be an issue also...
...but mostly the ability(rather the lack thereof) for a BY keeper to know if an ailment is bacterial or not. Without acurate testing, which is hard to obtain(can be costly if even available), antibiotics(and many other 'meds' or 'cures') should not be administered, IMO.

I also see post after post of people with sick chickens getting advised to dose their chicken with this or that medication.

Yes, this makes it difficult...let's not add to it.

 

[Folly's place]

In over 25 years of keeping chickens, I've used an antibiotic four times. Three times it was an individual bird wounded by a predator, and once three store chicks with a respiratory infection. Tested them, and NOT Mycoplasma, so they recovered.
Do I have a 'stock' of meds at home? NO! The only recurring issue here has been with mites, and one time, lice. I do have that one bottle of Gordon's Permethrin spray concentrate. That's it. Running a fecal occasionally at the veterinarian's, and once had to treat for intestinal worms.
Mary

 

[Clucking_Crazy]

Okay, so I won't get the just-in-case abx.

I do have a question about worming. Do you all do preventative deworming, or wait until you have confirmation of a bird with worms?

And if I should go the preventative route, which dewormer is best for the job?

 

[Folly's place]

There's no such thing as 'preventative' worming. Again, using medication to treat a problem that's not present makes no sense! There's no actual data that shows that feeding vinegar, garlic, or whatever, actually 'prevents' or much less 'treats' intestinal parasites. At least not until toxic doses of such stuff is ingested.
Some flocks will have repeated issues with intestinal parasites of one sort or another (and it's necessary to know what kinds) and other flocks, like mine, have been pretty trouble free that way.
Mary

 

[Clucking_Crazy]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

I know very little about chickens... I just know I have to give the dogs meds to keep them from getting heartworms, didn't know if chickens worked in the same way. Thanks again!

 

[Folly's place]

My flock lives on a farm with sandy soil, and can't get to the pond. My neighbor one mile away has clay soil and a pond, and had serious issues with intestinal parasites in her birds. It just depends!
Mary

 

[casportpony]

A friend of mine has had problems with respiratory disease in their flock for several years. When it first started they tried treating with oxytetracyline. That didn't work so they tried Tylan. That didn't work either so they decided have some testing done and the labs came back showing the bird(s) tested had two different bacteria, pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli. The testing also revealed that there were only a few drugs that would treat both, one of those was Baytril, which is banned for use in poultry, the others were prescription only injectables (Amikacin and gentamycin).

Next sick bird was tested and It had pseudomonas aeruginosa, but a strain that was now resistant to Baytril, but still sensitive to the prescription only injectables (Amikacin and gentamycin)

Next bird tested had staphylococcus which was sensitive to amoxicillin.

My point to all of that posted above is that it makes more sense to establish a doctor/client relationship than it does to stock up on antibiotics that may or may not work. Not only will it cost less, but I could save the life of one's bird(s).

 

[Folly's place]

Heartworm medication doesn't 'prevent' the parasite from entering your dog's body, it kills the critters after they are present very early in their life cycle.
People with peafowl or turkeys, or pheasants, have more issues with internal parasites, and often have to worm their birds frequently.
Mary