Daphne Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 One thing you can do to help is to be scrupulous with your cleaning. If you use something like VirkonS it contains a strong virucide to help keep viruses down - this is what my vets use at their practice. Poultry Shield also contains one, but less concentrated I think. Don't fret if you can't buy this immediately, but next time you need a cleaning product consider getting some. I use PS for light cleans and Virkon when I'm doing a proper clean. Also, make sure your house is well ventilated and importantly, not damp (either it or the bedding). Its impossible to totally guard against myco, but by doing our bit we can but try Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catherinedon Posted December 12, 2010 Author Share Posted December 12, 2010 day 5 of antibiotics and bubble eye no longer obvious, snorry noses better have been doing daily nose and eye care with saline. Both girls look very well but winegum is still sneezing ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 Keep on with the regime till you get to the end of the antibiotics (today?) I'd keep up with the saline for a few days more and see if the final few days of ABs are going to work, but after that if Winegum is still sneezy and not 100% in all other ways (ie eating/drinking/pooing/behaviour) I'd ask for a repeat prescription (before the bad weather if you're forecast any). If she seems fine in herself but is still sneezy then its up to you. Really she should have another course to stop her (and stop her spreading germs) but if she seems to be on the mend... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 I second that, my pekin had 2 courses and it knocked it on the head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bevmatt Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 Just wanted to add a comment about Retford Poultry.... I have used them previously when I have bought hens in and something has reared its head (thankfully they were in quarantine at the time) If you ring retford poultry they will send you a swab kit. you can then swab your birds and send it back in the post. They they grow the culture and send you the correct antibiotics - all done. Last time I used them they were VERY reasonably priced - under the £50 mark for everything - swabs and treatment. (01777) 703011 - 5 Stirling Road, West Carr Industrial Estate, DN22 7SN Retford Ask for Libby - she does all the advice etc and will tell you what you need to do for treatment. By the way I think you did the right thing getting your birds seen by the vet mycoplasma is not good in your flock so well done for getting it seen to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catherinedon Posted December 13, 2010 Author Share Posted December 13, 2010 Bevmatt thanks for that. very useful information and I too am glad I got it sorted. eyes and noses much better but one still sneezing. so so worried the others will get it. I reckon I have 2 days antibiotics left. vet said to phone in a week which is tomorrow so I may try to get another course but hope I dont have to bring hen back to see vet. please tell me the others wont get it if they havent so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catherinedon Posted December 14, 2010 Author Share Posted December 14, 2010 2 chickens with possible mycroplasma. Jessie bubbly eye Winegum sneezing. After a week of antibiotics and saline eye care Jessies eyes look great and no bubbles and thankfully hasnt picked up winegums sneeze. Winegum how ever continues to sneeze and more so on handling than she has done and when I was giving her her antibiotics I noticed she now has a bubbly eye I think she is also starting to molt as lots of feathers coming off when I held her. This is my first chicken to do this. Is this ok or is she just unwell. she is alert and happy and eating and drinking .Am suposed to phone vet today which is a week after treatment but wanted your advice please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 I would speak to the vet. It sounds as if she needs further treatment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Agree sounds like she needs to carry on for another course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Catherine - ring the vet asap. It definitely sounds like Winegum has got the myco. Feather loss is probably moult/mini-moult and a coincidence, but unfortunately means she'll need the most tlc you can give - because her body will be trying to fight off infection, keep warm and grow new feathers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catherinedon Posted December 14, 2010 Author Share Posted December 14, 2010 didnt phone vet today as way toio busy with childrens stuff but also have enough antibiotics for tomorrow. Will phone in morn. Have never experienced molting before. will ALL her feathers fall off How long do they take to grow back. Will the others hurt her??? If I get more batryl tomorrow will I need to giv eit to Jessie also as her eyes are clear. Im annoyed as I have been cleaning winegums although she didnt have bubbles and now she does. REally hoping other girls continue to be well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 That's rough but it's not so much an eye infection as from the sinus's and eustachian tube (or whatever the chicken equivalent is). The bubbles are due to changes in pressure as the passages block. When mine have moulted they lost feathers in patches from different parts of their body at at time and never lost all but they all seem do it differently. It takes weeks or even months to refeather. I give mine a tonic like lifeguard to give them a boost and a bit of extra protien - catfood or tuna a couple of times a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catherinedon Posted December 15, 2010 Author Share Posted December 15, 2010 phoned vet and she has given me more antibiotics nad wants me to treat Winegum but aslo to continue treating Jessie and phone her again ina week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 Hope it sorts it out then. What a worry they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catherinedon Posted December 16, 2010 Author Share Posted December 16, 2010 So glad I continued treating Jessie as although her eyes are no longer bubbly she is now sneezing and her chest sounds rattly for the first time tonight : Jessie continues to sneeze. When will this get better or when do I decide its not going to get better. Im so so worried the other 5 girls will become unwell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Why not ask vet if you should treat them all as a preventative Sorry you are having such a rough time, hope for some good news soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catherinedon Posted December 16, 2010 Author Share Posted December 16, 2010 just really dont want it to end up costing a fortune. Initiall consult and meds for 2 was £28 second dose for 2 was £12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 It is highly contagious, so you may well end up having to treat them all. I'd follow Plum's suggestion and have another word with the vet if I were you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I agree, get it treated now or you'll end up with a lot of ill hens as it goes round and round them all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catherinedon Posted December 16, 2010 Author Share Posted December 16, 2010 ya but now on second week of meds so how many courses is it likely to take as this will cost so much if it takes weeks to treat. Giving the uneffected ones antibiotics wont stop them getting it will they. Oh Im really fed up now as feel so unlucky. Inital reaction was not to go to vet and now that i have done the right thing and gone its getting very expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catherinedon Posted December 17, 2010 Author Share Posted December 17, 2010 medication dose question. Winegum and Jessie weighed roughly 900g and 1kg and their doses of baytril 2.5% oral that they are having are 0.8 and 0.9mls each once daily prescribed by vet. I have just read on THe poultry site that the reccomended dose for Mycroplasma is 15/mg/kg twice daily. Baytril 2.5 comes in concentration of 25 mg/ml (from what I have read on internet) so at 15mg /kg twice daily Winegum should be having 0.54mls twice daily and Jessie 0.6mls twice daily so this means in total Jessie would have 0.28mls extra per day and Jessie would have 0.3mls extra per day. I know this doesnt sound much but I was thinking it might make a difference what do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 No idea, I would contact manufacturer or vet for confirmation and whether there is any detriment to a higher dose if it's bothering you. Vet may have said higher dose as they are slow responding I believe if they haven't already got it then it will stop them getting infected as will isolation, if they are already infected it would stop it progressing. Difficult I think if you didn't go to vet they would have all got it and you could have lost your girl and probably more. You could have taken the decision to lose her and not treat but that would have meant seperating her and doing the deed Perhaps if you seperated straight away there may have been no spread - maybe. If you seperate the two now you could reduce the risk drastically. I think the vet should have treated them all from the beginning and it wouldn't have cost much more but I'm no expert. Suppose best chance is early treatment. Poor you, you are trying your best for them. We all have our own standards for how far we go with treatment and vet bills etc., and don't feel bad if you make a different decision to what some others may do. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Your birds may be taking slightly longer getting over this as it wasn't treated straight away. There is no point giving birds antibiotics when they are showing no symptoms. It is a little like taking something for a headache hoping it will stop you getting one a week later.Giving antibiotics unnecessarily is irresponsible and encourages drug resistance. Myco is infectious and there is of course a chance that they will all get it if they are all together. This is why keeping new birds quarantined it so important. Your other birds may already have it and be symptomless carriers. If you are concerned re the dose that your vet has calculated for you, you need to check this.Giving to low a dose also encourages drug resistance. Not wishing to sound overly harsh but I think that you need to decide to either go all out to get this sorted out along with all of the resulting fees (which incidentally have not been high in the grand scheme of things) or consider culling these birds. If you chose to continue treatment and want to avoid unnecessarily costs, you need to ensure that you are well prepared before your vet winds down for the Christmas break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Giving antibiotics unnecessarily is irresponsible and encourages drug resistance. While this is a valid point the disease does not affect one bird but the whole flock and there is a justification for treating them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catherinedon Posted December 17, 2010 Author Share Posted December 17, 2010 Right my options now are to continue treating or to remove the ill birds. Have been to the hatchery and had lots of discussions with the chicken man and also with dh. Possibly have another sneezer now. Although hatchery are willing to kill ill chickens for me I dont really want to that at this point. This is my plan. I am going to continue with antibiotics on the 2 sneezers and then just stop and what will be will be.Obviously if they become very unwell I will take to hatchery. I know I am running the risk of all my chickens becoming very unwell and dying but sadly thats the choice I am making. I am doing my best. apple cider vinegar in water, garlic powder in feed am putting down some new wood shavings in Wir and am going to attach some shower curtains to the mesh door to stop wind and snow blowing in. Will aslo re position cube so less exposed. Sorry for boring you all but they are such a worry. oh am also going to give poulty nutri drops as hatchery said ok to do with antibiotics. Shold I put some cirticidal in water as well as acd or not? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...