Health 365

Please realize that this health program below is designed for the beginner or someone not comfortable recognizing very subtle changes in pigeon health. We are McLaughlin Lofts do not flock treat the birds ever. We only use Natural Products and will individually treat a sick pigeon.  For my thoughts on Health please see three Short Articles by Frank. Below is for a very new fancier that cannot recognize subtle changes in health.  This is the system from the past.

Below is what McLaughlin Lofts we did years back but have moved away from this.  We concentrate on Vaccinations and worming along with natural products.  We race and breed successfully year after year without medications.

OLD SCHOOL BELOW written many years back:

McLaughlin Lofts treats instinctively  and rarely when we feel it is necessary for individual pigeons.  We rarely if ever treat the breeders or pigeons in flight pens that may be for sale. We try to treat the race team as little as possible or not at all.  If it is not broke we do not try to fix it.  Our breeders receive the occasional worming and all natural health products.  The least amount of medication the better to build the immune system.  During racing you can treat for canker and respiratory to maintain form though out the season. We have not treated the race team in two race season. If your pigeons are kept in dry spacious lofts and have super health, stick to natural products like Apple Cider Vinegar, garlic, vitamins and minerals.   The health program below is outstanding.  If you are not completely sure of the health of your pigeons it can be followed exactly as written and you will have major success.  We also only vaccinate for PMV and salmonella one time at weaning and PMV every other year in a pigeons life. We vaccinate for Salmonella every year.

Natural Products Needed:

• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Red Cell: horse vitamin
• Chicken Vitamin and Electrolyte
• Glucose Powder
• Belgian pink minerals
• Magnesium blocks
• Natural Pickstones
• Pigeon grit and oyster shells.
• Vanilla Whey Protein:  Essential Protein, to be bought at Health food store. CHOCOLATE IS POISONOUS TO PIGEONS!
• Flax Seed Oil - Essential Fats - Health food store - Mixed on grain with Whey protein
• Primilac or Probios Friendly Gut Bacteria
  

Medications Needed:

• Quest Horse wormer or similar (moxidectin)
• Ridsol S 10%: Canker
• Baycox: Coccidiosis
• Amoxicillan: Paratyphoid, Adeno-virus
• Flagyl Tablets: Canker To treat individually in place of Ridsol 10%
• Ivermectin Sheep Drench: Feather parasites
  

Before Breeding - Treat all Pigeons on property:
A.  Worm with Quest Gel Horse wormer.  One tube makes 8 gallons.  Use a blender to mix and do not get wormer on hands.  Kills all internal and external parasites.  Does not dissolve easily without blender.  Leave wormer for 48 hours.

B.  Ridsol S 10% 3 teaspoons per gallon for seven days.

Followed by three days Red Cell 1 teaspoon per gallon or chicken vitamin 1/4 teaspoon to gallon.

C.   Baycox one teaspoon to the gallon for two days

D.  If health is not perfect treat 10 days Amoxicillan 4 grams (4000 milligrams) per gallon.  Follow with 1 teaspoon Red Cell mixed with 1 teaspoon Primalac or Probios to the gallon for four days. Primilac and Red Cell three days per week all breeding season. Apple Cider Vinegar one ounce to the gallon three to seven days per week all breeding season.

Before Old bird racing: 
A.  Worm with Quest Gel Horse wormer.  One tube makes 8 gallons.  Use a blender to mix and do not get wormer on hands.  Kills all internal and external parasites.  Does not dissolve easily without blender. Leave wormer for 24 hours.

B.  Ridsol S 10% 3 teaspoons per gallon for seven days.
Followed by three days Red Cell 1 teaspoon per gallon.

C.  Suanovil 1 teaspoon with Tylan 1/2 teaspoon per gallon for 7 days followed by Red Cell 1 teaspoon per gallon three days.

D.  Baycox one teaspoon per gallon for two days.

If health is not perfect treat 10 days Amoxicillan 4 grams (4000 milligrams) per gallon.  Follow with 1 teaspoon Red Cell mixed with 1 teaspoon Probios to the gallon for four days. Primalac and Red Cell three days per week all racing season. Apple Cider Vinegar one ounce to the gallon three days per week all racing season.

Fresh water only day of shipping.  During race season every other Monday and Tuesday rotate, week one: Ridsol S 10% three teaspoons per gallon, two weeks later one Flagyl tablet per bird that raced.  On alternate weeks, Suanovil 1 teaspoon per gallon, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

Every two Sundays give Baycox one teaspoon per gallon.  Worm the birds one day only mid-season with with Quest Gel Horse wormer.  One tube makes 8 gallons.  Use a blender to mix and do not get wormer on hands.  Kills all internal and external parasites.  Does not dissolve easily without blender. Leave wormer for 24 hours.

Minerals must be in front of all pigeons at at all times, Belgian pink minerals, Natural mineral block, grit, oyster shells and magnesium block. Change at least weekly.

On day of return from every race: One teaspoon Red Cell or 1/4 Teaspoon chicken vitamin/electrolyte, Two teaspoons Primalac or Probios, one tablespoon Glucose, 1/8 teaspoon iodized salt all added to one gallon.  Red Cell is our iodine supplement of choice.

Tuesdays and Thursdays all season mix one tablespoon of Flaxseed Oil on one can of grain and as much Vanilla Whey Protein as grain will hold.

Young Birds:
A.  Treat with Ridsol S two teaspoons to the gallon for 7 days when all babies are weaned.

B.  Vaccinate for Pigeon Pox, PMV and use Sal-Bac vaccine for Paratyphoid one week apart in June.

C.  Treat with same schedule as the old birds.

If young are infected with Adeno-virus (young bird sickness). Give Amoxicillan 4 grams (4000 milligrams) per gallon for ten days.  Follow with 1 teaspoon Red cell mixed with 1 teaspoon Probios to the gallon for four days.  Red cell and Primalac or Probios three days per week all racing season. Apple Cider Vinegar one ounce to the gallon three days per week all racing season.  Fresh water only day of shipping. Feed chicken or pigeon pellets during Adeno-Virus time so any upchucked grain will not be eaten by other healthy pigeons.  Do not race or train sick or lethagic pigeons.

At the very first sign of any young bird sickness start with Virkon S.  See "Secrets" page.  If they are not better go to above.

After race season (old and young birds) and breeding.  Baycox 1 teaspoon per gallon for 2 days. 3 days of Red Cell, followed Ridsol S 3 teaspoon per gallon for 5 days.  Red Cell for two days. Worm with Quest Gel Horse wormer.  One tube makes 8 gallons.  Use a blender to mix and do not get wormer on hands.  Kills all internal and external parasites.  Does not dissolve easily without blender.  Leave wormer for 24 hours.

Use Ivermectin Sheep drench 3 cc’s per gallon in the bath water every third week year round. Kills all lice and mites.