Oral Nystatin For Chickens: Uses, Dosage and Side Effects

Oral nystatin is an antifungal medication that treats infections caused by Candida albicans, a fungus that causes thrush in chickens. Nystatin for chickens comes in the form of a tablet or oral liquid suspension. Oral nystatin should be given to your chickens only when they have yeast infections such as thrush, which is indicated by the presence of white patches on the skin around their mouths.

Oral nystatin is considered a good choice for the treatment of Candida infections. Although it is not absorbed well into the bloodstream and must come into direct contact with the organism to be effective. Oral nystatin for chickens works by disrupting the cell membrane of the fungi or yeast that causes infection. This causes leakage of intracellular contents, leading to the death of the organism.

Uses of Oral Nystatin In Chickens

Oral nystatin is a medication typically used to treat intestinal candida, or thrush, which is an infection that affects the beak, eyes, and mouth of the chicken. Thrush is an infection caused by Candida albicans; it is a yeast-like fungus that lives on the skin or in mucosal tissues. When this fungus gets into the digestive tract of your chicken, it can cause inflammation and irritation. This can lead to redness, swelling, and pain in their mouth and throat.

In addition, oral nystatin can be used to treat sour crop and crop mycosis. Sour crop is a fungal infection that causes the crop to become swollen and painful; Sour crop appears as a red or purple spot on your chicken’s neck. It can be fatal if left untreated and can cause a sour smell. Oral nystatin extends to treating different fungal infections inside the mouth and lining of the stomach and intestines of the chicken.

Oral Nystatin Dosage For Chickens

Nystatin liquid suspension for chickens is administered orally by mixing with the chicken’s drinking water. The recommended oral nystatin dosage for intestinal candida is 1ml to 2 liters of water. Always shake the bottle before using it. Oral nystatin should be administered twice a day for 5 consecutive days for the effective treatment of intestinal candida and sour crops.

Oral Nystatin Side Effects In Chickens

The side effects of oral nystatin in chickens are not common, however, there are possible side effects that may be experienced when wrongly used, in most cases of overdose. In this case, your chickens may likely experience the following side effects:

• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite (anorexia)
• Vomiting

You can discontinue the medication if the side effects do not stop in less than 2 days of the medication. You can contact your vet for further diagnosis.

Where To Buy Nystatin for Chickens

Nystatin for chickens and other bird species can be purchased from online stores like Justagric Market, Tractor Supply and reputable veterinary stores. If you are not sure of what you find online, you can send a picture to your vet or better still let the vet get this medication for you.

Alternative to Oral Nystatin For Chicken

Perhaps you could not find oral nystatin to treat your chicken intestinal candida, there are other alternative medications you can buy to treat the same infections; there are:

• Monistat 7
• Medistatin
• Apple cider vinegar
• Adding 1 Garlic clove per gallon of water for the chickens to drink
• Adding probiotics to chicken feeds or water or feeding chicken plain unsweetened yogurt with live and active cultures once per week.

Oral nystatin is a must-have antifungal drug that treats a variety of different yeast infections in chickens. Infections such as thrush, sour crop, and crop mycosis can be effectively treated with oral nystatin.