Hi everyone.

 

I've noticed that most breeders use Tetracycline and medication like "Sulphur D" as a preventative during breeding season. Should I do this and how often?

 

Also some of my birds have dark green droppings that stick to their vents a bit. (NOT RUNNY). Somebody said to increase greens which I've done and it's seemed to have helped a bit. I don't think they're sick but sometimes I have to take the bird / s out and wash it off as it collects there. I did that for a few days and now they seem to be fine. Some of them have a bit of discolouration (really light with no actual faeces) of feathers around their vent which I'm presuming is normal :fear

 

They're eating seed, egg and biscuit - sometimes (every second day) I make my own boiled eggs mixed with apple and snow pea sprouts - carrots and broccoli and they have cuttlebone. Is there anything else I should be giving them? Can I give them mung bean sprouts or any others?

 

I've kept budgies for years and years but have never had the green faeces before .....

 

Thanks in advance

Hi everyone.

 

I've noticed that most breeders use Tetracycline and medication like "Sulphur D" as a preventative during breeding season. Should I do this and how often?

 

Also some of my birds have dark green droppings that stick to their vents a bit. (NOT RUNNY). Somebody said to increase greens which I've done and it's seemed to have helped a bit. I don't think they're sick but sometimes I have to take the bird / s out and wash it off as it collects there. I did that for a few days and now they seem to be fine. Some of them have a bit of discolouration (really light with no actual faeces) of feathers around their vent which I'm presuming is normal :fear

 

They're eating seed, egg and biscuit - sometimes (every second day) I make my own boiled eggs mixed with apple and snow pea sprouts - carrots and broccoli and they have cuttlebone. Is there anything else I should be giving them? Can I give them mung bean sprouts or any others?

 

I've kept budgies for years and years but have never had the green faeces before .....

 

Thanks in advance

Most breeders DONT use medications DURING breeding and indeed a great many of the show breeders prefer to not medicate birds without good cause. Some breeders may well put their birds through a course of doxy

( a tetracycline drug ) BEFORE breeding to be sure any carrying a latent disease have flushed that problem from their system so to speak. Sulpha D type drugs are used on occasion to deal with a poopy bottom , dirty vent on a bird.

Many of these drugs have to be used with greater knowledge behind them not only of the benefits but also the side effects and what else needs to be given at which point also...like probiotics after certain ones to get the birds gut back in order.

Sounds like your birds are getting some good food. BUT I would decrease the greens if the birds have a dirty and sticky vent not INCREASE them. A dirty vent IS a sign of a sick bird, a bird that is unwell in some way. Something is out of balance and needs to be addressed.

Have you introduced any outside birds ( new purchases ) that may have brought "something" into your aviary ? Do you quarantine new birds ? Have you wormed them recently. I am assuming as you have been keeping birds for quite some time, you have a certain amount of valuable knowledge accumulated. So, just trying to problem solve by powers of deduction. Any more info would help.

 

Cheers Karen

Edited March 23, 200718 yr by Bubbles

Have you introduced any outside birds ( new purchases ) that may have brought "something" into your aviary ? Do you quarantine new birds ? Have you wormed them recently. I am assuming as you have been keeping birds for quite some time, you have a certain amount of valuable knowledge accumulated. So, just trying to problem solve by powers of deduction. Any more info would help.

 

 

 

Yep, I have introduced a few new birds - I quarantined them for 4 weeks. I wormed them all about 3 weeks ago. Most of the birds are fine it's just a couple that have sticky faeces so I don't think it's anything contageous. I know worming can cause this although I've never had it happen before.

 

I've always thought a dirty vent is because a bird is sick but this breeder told me that sticky green faeces is different to runny faeces. She also said that sometimes the vent will be dirty and if you check in a couple of days it will be clean again. She said only if it's ongoing it's something to worry about or if the poops are runny or lack the white part. These poops are perfect - except seem to be sticky.

Edited March 23, 200718 yr by Daz

Minimum quarantine for most birds is as you have done 30 days. Show breeders quarantine for a minimum of 45 days and treat the birds prior to putting into the flights with any others. Birds are treated with tetracycline drugs ( for psittacosis ) for the 45 days, also treated for coccidiosis for around 7 days and wormed for 3 days, followed by probiotics for 10 days or so...then rest for at least a week and then into the flights if all is well.

A lot of illnesses go undetected in the minimum 30 days and it is when they go into a mixed aviary or into breeding that the stress can bring an illness to the surface. None of my healthy birds ever have dirty vents and if any did, that would be a sure sign to me that THAT particular bird is unwell. I would immediately pull the bird from the aviary and treat it to a stay in a warm hospital cage and treat it for whatever ails it until the vent is clean again.

I think you may well have a latent health issue in your birds and some are coping better than the others.

Worming I do every month during the warmer weather and every 3 months the rest of the year. Hope this helps

Edited March 23, 200718 yr by Bubbles

Just wanted to add that I have been lurking here for what seems like years and I know that you know your stuff - I'd by far take your advice and I appreciate your help. Thanks

 

okay so I need to worm them again soon. I only worm them once every 3 months as a rule. I'm now aware this may not be sufficient.

 

I've got a really good avian vet that I go to so may take the bird for a swab.

 

I do have Sulphur D here which I may use. I've used tetracycline antibiotics a few times before but not with smaller birds - a sulphur and with a few greys.

 

My gut tells me to use the Sulphur D and a probiotic. Can change of diet cause this? I did introduce the bought egg & biscuit mix a few weeks ago (I used to only make my own)?

Just wanted to add that I have been lurking here for what seems like years and I know that you know your stuff - I'd by far take your advice and I appreciate your help. Thanks

 

okay so I need to worm them again soon. I only worm them once every 3 months as a rule. I'm now aware this may not be sufficient.

 

I've got a really good avian vet that I go to so may take the bird for a swab.

 

I do have Sulphur D here which I may use. I've used tetracycline antibiotics a few times before but not with smaller birds - a sulphur and with a few greys.

 

My gut tells me to use the Sulphur D and a probiotic. Can change of diet cause this? I did introduce the bought egg & biscuit mix a few weeks ago (I used to only make my own)?

Yes....worming every month is a good rule for summer especially if their aviary is on a dirt floor or the top is mesh and wild bird droppings can enter.

Sulpha D works initially to stop the cycle of the green droppings in conjunction with a warm quiet place to be ( hospital cage ) and the probiotic to follow. BUT green droppings are the sign of something amiss and that must be investigated. I dont think your change of diet would do this ...something seems to have been introduced into your flock. The bought egg and biscuit ....if you smell it....is made from milk arrowroot biscuits with the additives....so thats extra in sugar and vanilla and such....if you can revert back to your own mix it will help. But I wouldnt put the green bottoms down to the diet change or just the egg and biscuit.

Anyway...good luck with sorting the birds out and getting them healthy again

If you want to try a natural approach to worming and cleaning out the birds, try Aleo Vera. I am currently putting my birds through a coarse at the moment.

 

Here a some information I posted on it.

 

Natural Conditioning

 

The birds have been on this for the last three days. Their droppings have become darker and a big larger but not like a breeding hen. Their activity is more and they are louder.. Must be doing something good.

 

This is not to replace medication for cocci, psittacosis or canker but as a all round wormer and cleaner.

Some really good advice - thanks everyone. I'll go back to doing my own egg mix every day. I've been using organic eggs for the budgies (as well as us of course) and hubby has asked me very nicely to please go down to free range or at least barn laid for the birds :yellowhead:

 

Daz, I'm going to try that Aloe Vera once I'm done with all the other stuff - sounds like a really good thing.