[Silkysmooth]

Hi All,

I took one of my 20 chickens to the Vet after an outbreak of a sneezing/mycoplasma type infection. The vet prescribed chlorsol 50% and this was administered. Within a few days we has no less than 7 chickens prolapse and/or start with runny clear/white discharge coming from their vents. 2 had to be culled straight away due to the pecking damage caused to their vent area due to the hanging prolapse (happened the day after antibiotic administration).

5 of these chickens remained egg bound and even after the best attempts I could to help the egg along, it was not happening. On one chicken that passed away, the egg was adhered firmly to the oviduct with nasty adhensions and lots of purelent fluid (like an abscess around the egg). So since starting the antibiotic (which I swiftly discontinued after discovering the devastating effects) there has been 7 chicken die. 2 with prolapse due to excessive strain from trying to evacuate a bound egg. Then 5 more chickens who became egg bound with constant wet discharge from their vent area.

The antibiotic was changed to Tylan by the vet which seemed to clear the sneezing up nicely but of course I have had a massive loss of hens and I feel there is no way that this is natural given the timing and the co-administration of the antibiotic. Has anyone had any experience with giving Chlorosol 50% (chlortetracycline).

The vet suggested that the tetracycline can bind to calcium thus reducing the ability of the musculature of the hen to contract to move an egg. Any suggestion as to what has happened would be much appreciated as this situation has made me seriously reconsider keeping hens.

Apologies for the long message!

Andy

[hillfooter]

Chlorsol 50% is usually given to broilers and pigs not layers. Although it is used for CRD Tylan and Baytril are the regulation antibiotics for CRD in layers however this I don't think accounts for the reaction you seem to have got and I suspect an overdose.  Particularly as your layers would have calcium in their feed and also you were probably supplementing oystershell this would inhibit it being absorbed so maybe it was passing through the vent and interfering with the egg laying.  The binding you saw must I think be connected to the medication.  Probably your vets diagnosis was right.

What dilution were you putting in their water?

HF

[joyfull]

I have used Aureomycin (this was the first tetracycline discovered) with my hens and have had no side effects.

[Silkysmooth]

Hi Thanks for your replies.

The dosage was 200g to 600Litres of water.

The chickens go through 12 Litres of water per day.

So they were given 4g each day in 12 litres of water for 5 days.

It may be possible that my scales malfunctioned but they are meant to be accurate.

Suppose I will just have to deal with the effects and move on