Gun Dog Forum

I have a small, probably over populated loft that has been sustaining birds in the 12-20 range for about 6 or 7 years now. I rarely have more than 1 bird in a clutch survive. Stools seem fine and because of density I do get some pecking on younger birds and certainly unhealthy birds that I then quarentine. Every once in a while I get a bird that ends up with paratyphoid nuero symptoms or PMV, usually it doesnt spread so I am not sure what is going on. This is all just background info to my two questions:

1) do any of you vaccinate your birds for pmv? Which vaccine do you use and where do you get it, how much? Not sure I can spend $130 on a 100 dose bottle for only a handful of birds.

2) Typically I kill unhealthy birds before they die naturally. Sometimes I look at them and think ehhhh it ain’t that bad Ill shoot it over my dog and other times I wonder if I might be spreading something to my dog(s). What do you think?

My guess is that if one of them has pmv or paratyhpoid then they all do, just tis one is really bad that I notice.

Sounds like you have para typhoid. I use a good antibiotic to treat if necessary but it is seldom that I do. Would rather let the birds develop their natural immunity.

ezzy333 wrote:Sounds like you have para typhoid. I use a good antibiotic to treat if necessary but it is seldom that I do. Would rather let the birds develop their natural immunity.

That is what I was thinking, sounds hard to treat successfully anyhow. Can my dogs or new pup catch it if I shoot one of the birds exhibiting symptoms for them? I guess it really comes down to whether that strain can cross over to dogs, from what a read, some are species specific. I guess my question really is whether anyone has ever had their dogs get sick from their pigeons?

isonychia wrote:

ezzy333 wrote:Sounds like you have para typhoid. I use a good antibiotic to treat if necessary but it is seldom that I do. Would rather let the birds develop their natural immunity.

That is what I was thinking, sounds hard to treat successfully anyhow. Can my dogs or new pup catch it if I shoot one of the birds exhibiting symptoms for them? I guess it really comes down to whether that strain can cross over to dogs, from what a read, some are species specific. I guess my question really is whether anyone has ever had their dogs get sick from their pigeons?

What it really is is salmonella and other animals such as dogs can get it but it seems the stains that effect different species are different and do not cross over. I know of no cases where it ever has.

I don't know a thing about disease's birds get or really how to give meds. I did fool around with some meds I got from Foy's some years ago but didn't notice any difference, they mixed in the water. I've also fooled with putting apple cider viniger in their water, again didn't notice a difference. When I do chore's out there, I don't add new water to old water if there's much dirt at all in the old water, I dump and refill with fresh. Maybe the most important thing is room in the loft! Seem's to me you put to many birds in the loft and over crowding is gonna cause some to die of something. Lot of guy's like those 4x4 loft's but can't keep all that many birds in them and they are over crowded. Maybe an idea in that case to build an extra pen, one for breeder's and one for killers/trainer's. Just a though.

DonF wrote:I don't know a thing about disease's birds get or really how to give meds. I did fool around with some meds I got from Foy's some years ago but didn't notice any difference, they mixed in the water. I've also fooled with putting apple cider viniger in their water, again didn't notice a difference. When I do chore's out there, I don't add new water to old water if there's much dirt at all in the old water, I dump and refill with fresh. Maybe the most important thing is room in the loft! Seem's to me you put to many birds in the loft and over crowding is gonna cause some to die of something. Lot of guy's like those 4x4 loft's but can't keep all that many birds in them and they are over crowded. Maybe an idea in that case to build an extra pen, one for breeder's and one for killers/trainer's. Just a though.

exactly

Perhaps overcrowding. How big is your loft? Is ventilation good? Healthy birds should stay on the wing for 1 - 1.5 hrs when you let them out of the loft to fly. If you aren't getting that then you should look at vaccinating. I don't like giving them meds but I'd say you're at the point where you gotta do something.