Respiratory disease, Denagard/Tiagard and medicated feed questions

[HannahGillie]

Hi all, I have three 10-week old cochin bantams that are having some respiratory problems. They are all sneezing, and one has a slightly swollen face. They are still eating and drinking well. I have been giving them VetRx, Rooster Booster, and Spring Chicken Wellness Brew in their water each day, as well as cooking scrambled eggs for them (which they love!). At first I thought the cause may have been due to me switching them to a new bag of feed that was super super dusty, the symptoms started right after they got the new food. Possibly aspirated? Not sure. But now I am worried it may be mycoplasma or coryza due to the symptoms. They have been sick for about a week and a half, I have them separated from the other 5 chicks, the rest seem to be doing fine. I have also had them separated from my main flock who is also showing no symptoms. So my questions are:

1. I got some Tiagard as recommended by some other poultry keepers, but I was wondering if I needed to take them off of their medicated chick feed? I know some medications can interact with each other, so do I need to switch to a non-medicated feed?
2. I would like to have them tested to see exactly what is going on, but I cannot get them tested until next week. Do I have to wait to start treating them with the Tiagard until they are tested, or can I go ahead and start giving it to them? Will it affect test results?
3. Should I treat my whole flock even if the rest are not showing symptoms? I saw some studies talking about how if they do have respiratory disease and you let them fight it off the first time vs giving them antibiotics their immune systems will be better equipped at fighting it off again in the future, is this true? Or is it better to treat in anticipation of possible illness?

Thank you all so much!

 

[MamaPoult]

Hi! I see nobody's responded to this! Let me tag some people!
@EggSighted4Life
@MysteryChicken
These peeps are really good at this stuff

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC.
Tiagard aka Denagard is used to treat Mycoplasma diseases, specifically Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG) in this instance.
1. Tiagard can be used with medicated chick starter which contains only a small amount of Amprolium to help prevent coccidiosis. There are no contraindications using both at the same time.
2,3. MG is highly contagious to other birds, it can be easily spread on your clothing, shoes, feeders, waterers etc...
It would be best to get them started on the Tiagard.
Once birds are infected with MG, and if they survive the disease, they are carriers of the disease for life and will easily spread the disease.
Birds may act "normal" as carriers, however if new birds are introduced to a flock for example, or other types of stress will bring out symptoms from surviving carrier birds in which the new birds will become infected. You will have to maintain a closed flock. No new birds in, none out. No selling or giving away eggs to be hatched because MG can be passed through the eggs.
Finally, bloodwork can determine if your bantams have MG or not, or some other type of respiratory disease.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Hi! I see nobody's responded to this! Let me tag some people!
@EggSighted4Life
@MysteryChicken
These peeps are really good at this stuff

I'm not an expert on medications for respiratory illness, or mostly just medications, except for maybe corid.

I'm no good with measurements, & stuff like that.