Methylene blue for chickens: methods of use, composition, side effects

Good afternoon, experienced and novice poultry farmers. How is methylene blue used for laying hens, chickens and broilers? Advantages and nuances of using methylene blue in the treatment and prevention of ailments of chickens and other poultry.

It's hard to believe, but the strategy to combat many chicken pathologies is based on the use of methylene blue, also called iodine blue. We are talking about an antiseptic that is used to treat injuries and treat viral, fungal and bacterial ailments.

Let's get acquainted with the drug.

What kind of drug is this?

Methylene blue is a solution of blue iodine, also called “Iodinol”. It is sold at any pharmacy and is available without a prescription. The main characteristics of the drug can be found in the table:

Characteristic	Description
Release form	1% alcohol solution, which is available in 10 ml bottles.
	Powder for preparing an aqueous solution, which is available in 10 g bottles.
	Ampoules containing 20 ml or 50 ml of a 1% solution of methylene blue in a 25% glucose solution.
Solubility	It dissolves well in water in a ratio of 1:30, but slightly in alcohol.
Best before date	Solutions are suitable for use for 3 years from the date of manufacture, and powders do not impose any restrictions.
Storage conditions	The “blue” should be kept in a dark place in a tightly closed bottle at a temperature of 15˚C to 25˚C.

Features of the use of the drug in specific situations

Respiratory tract diseases. Treatment is carried out once at 2-day intervals.
Chicken coop equipped with ventilation. While the room is being processed, the ventilation system is turned off. Close doors and windows tightly, otherwise the vapor concentration will be low. We can talk about the effective operation of the product if the vapor concentration is 200 mg/m3;
Long-term disinfection. In this case, the presence of birds in the room is undesirable. Before the chickens return, the house is ventilated. Of course, its structural elements and equipment are thoroughly washed.

Let there be methylene blue for chickens in your medicine cabinet! Share your experience of treating poultry at home in the comments.

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How does an antiseptic work?

Having understood the properties of methylene blue, you can understand why it is used to treat diseases in chickens:

When applied to infected skin, its active substance reacts with proteins of pest cells and forms compounds of organic origin. After some time, these diseased cells die. Thus, “blue” destroys pathogenic microorganisms and disinfects the surface on which it is applied, which is why it is used in surgical practice and veterinary medicine for antiseptic treatment.
Blue iodine can be used not only externally, but also internally. When a substance enters the body, it negatively affects the pathogenic flora in the gastrointestinal tract, and therefore helps with poisoning. In addition, it can relieve mild pain.
Some believe that “blue” acts like brilliant green. However, this is not true, since this substance is poorly soluble in water and alcohol. When it gets inside a bacterium, it provokes cell dysfunction, which leads to the death of the organism. Since the substance is quickly eliminated from the animal’s tissues, a negative reaction can be avoided.
Like regular iodine, “blue” stimulates the thyroid gland, and it performs a protective function against harmful microorganisms. With a lack of iodine, the functionality of this organ is impaired, which leads to massive disorders in the body of chickens - their immunity decreases, and malfunctions of the nervous system occur.

Thus, “blue” has a disinfecting and analgesic effect, is an antidote for poisoning and a thyroid stimulant.

Mechanism of action

Blue has the ability to color liquids, living tissues and various materials. Upon contact with the skin and mucous membranes of the body, the product has a bacteriostatic and antiseptic effect: it binds polysaccharides and proteins of gram-positive microbes, blocking their movement and spread. External use does not lead to absorption of the drug into the systemic circulation.

In a liquid medium - blood plasma, methylene blue manifests itself as a participant in redox processes, releasing ionized hydrogen. This allows the drug to be used as an antidote for various intoxications. Inside the body, the components of the drug are not deposited, they are filtered and excreted by the kidneys.

In medicine, the drug is intended for topical use in inflammatory processes and damage to the skin. But the real scope of its use is wider. Methylene is used:

as a contrast agent for diagnostic examinations;
They disinfect aquarium accessories, fish food and water with it;
used when printing photographs;
as a natural dye for fabrics;
in water treatment systems;
in analytical chemistry for isolating various elements and conducting experiments.

Methylene blue is included in the list of vital drugs as an effective antidote. It displaces toxins in case of poisoning with cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide. Studies of the substance have shown that it can be beneficial in Alzheimer's disease, the diagnosis of cancer, and viral infections. It is assumed that taking the drug orally can have a detrimental effect on the coronavirus that causes COVID 19, as well as the causative agent of Ebola hemorrhagic fever. In addition, the dye clearly identifies pathological cells and microscopic parasites in biomaterials and blood.

What helps chickens?

Methylene blue performs the following therapeutic functions:

treats wounds - burns, ulcers, eczema;
neutralizes skin parasites;
destroys bacteria and pathogenic microflora;
increases the activity of leukocytes;
controls the level of red blood cells;
cleanses blood vessels, making them elastic;
normalizes blood pressure;
increases immunity.

Of course, “blue” is not a panacea that cures 100% of all kinds of ailments, but in some cases it will be an excellent helper, especially in combination with other remedies.

Instructions for using the air conditioner

Every aquarium owner strives to preserve the health of its inhabitants and make their aquatic world brighter and more prosperous. Methylene blue for fish will be the best solution, because its qualities guarantee a safe effect on the body of all types of aquatic inhabitants and rapid and long-term purification of water. However, to prevent possible negative effects, the instructions for use of methylene blue should be carefully studied.

There are features for treating water and aquarium inhabitants living in fresh and sea water. Taking them into account will help maintain the health and activity of fish for a long time, and prevent their infection and death.

Methods for preparing blue

Blue iodine can be bought at a pharmacy or prepared with your own hands using one of two recipes. Basically, the first recipe is used, the author of which is considered to be the doctor V.A. Mokhnach. The second is less known, but allows you to obtain iodine, which dissolves better without irritating the intestinal and stomach mucosa of the bird.

1 recipe

Ingredients:

water – 200 ml;
starch - 1 tbsp. l.;
sugar – 1 tsp;
citric acid – 1/2 tsp;
5% iodine – 1 tsp.

Preparation:

Take 100 ml of water, slightly warmer than room temperature, and add starch and sugar to it. Mix thoroughly until the mass becomes homogeneous, without lumps.
Pour in citric acid and add another 100 ml of water. Place the mixture on the stove and bring to a boil to obtain a kind of jelly.
Cool the mixture, pour pharmaceutical iodine into it and mix. The liquid should turn blue.
Pour the mixture into a bottle or jar and close the lid tightly.

Be careful when working with the substance, as it is difficult to wash off when it comes into contact with various surfaces.

Sugar and citric acid are preservatives, so they preserve the qualities of blue iodine. It will not lose its properties for several months. When the composition begins to lose its blue color, it will lose its qualities. Thus, color is an indicator of the activity of the drug.

The preparation of this recipe can be clearly seen in the video below:

2 recipe

Ingredients:

water – 250 ml;
starch - 1 tbsp. l.;
5% iodine – 1 tsp.

Preparation:

Take a saucepan with a capacity of 500 ml and pour 50 ml of warm water into it. Add starch and pharmaceutical iodine, mix everything well.
Pour 200 ml of boiling water into the mixture in a small stream, without ceasing to stir. You should get a solution that resembles a paste.
Cool the composition and pour into a bottle or jar, seal well.

This iodine can be stored for about 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Directions for use and dosage

Methylene blue is a universal remedy that is used to treat various pathologies in chickens. Dosages of “blue” depend on the disease:

Cuts and wounds . They must be treated with a 1-3% alcohol solution of methylene blue. In this case, it serves as an antiseptic. If the wound is shallow, it is enough to dilute the “blue” with water, moisten gauze or cotton wool in the resulting composition and lubricate the damaged area of skin.
Burns . If burns are observed, they should be treated with a 1% aqueous solution.
Inflammatory processes . If an infection enters the bird’s body and an inflammatory process begins in the stomach and intestines, then blue must be given internally. In this case, breeders need to know and follow a strict dosage of the product: 1 g of powder must be dissolved in 5 liters of cool boiled water. Give the prepared solution to the bird, replacing ordinary water with it. Treatment of chickens lasts until the symptoms of the disease completely disappear.
Poisoning . If a bird is poisoned by chemicals and poisons, treatment is carried out with “blue” dissolved in glucose. The drug should be administered as an injection to the bird at the rate of 0.2 ml per kilogram of weight. In case of severe poisoning, the dose can be increased to 0.5 ml per kilogram of weight.
Bursitis . In this case, the bird needs to be given a 2% solution at a rate of 0.01% per 1 kg of weight.
Coccidiosis . Sick laying hens should be given the drug internally. To do this, blue iodine will need to be diluted with water in equal proportions (1:1). Give the solution to chickens as water. Treatment lasts about a week.
Pullorosis . "Blue" is also effective against pullorosis. In this case, it should be given to chickens 0.5 ml 3 times a day for 10 days.
Intractable pathologies . Young chickens should be given 0.5 ml of the drug 3 times a day, and chickens older than a year should be given 1 ml of the drug 3 times a day. Carry out treatment until complete recovery. In order not to kill the bird, you should definitely consult a veterinarian.
Reduced immunity . In order to strengthen the bird’s immunity, it needs to be given 0.3-05 ml of the drug once a day every day. The duration of treatment is half a month. Blue iodine especially helps to cope with diseases of chickens in the autumn and winter seasons. During this period, they lack vitamins and microelements, which is why various epidemics and colds occur.

Consumption of blue iodine does not in any way affect the egg production of chickens and the quality of their meat!

Blue checker for chickens

Iodine bombs are also used in the treatment and prevention of various diseases of chickens. Blue iodine can be in bulk form, sold in jars or in tablet form. The exact release form depends on the manufacturer. In any case, checkers are very popular, since in this form iodine vapor has a high degree of permeability.

As a rule, checkers are used to:

disinfect the poultry house;
prevent epidemics;
conduct therapy during outbreaks of epidemics.

The checker is convenient in that to carry out disinfection there is no need to empty the room of poultry, since such treatment of the chicken coop can be carried out in its presence.

The drug is used as follows:

Place the igniter on a non-flammable surface, which should also be level and without slopes. A sheet of iron, concrete or brick is suitable for these purposes.
Set fire to the saber to carry out a cyclic treatment with iodine vapor.

After setting the checker on fire, blue or slightly violet iodine vapor will begin to be released into the atmosphere. It will burn within 30 seconds, so the birds won’t even have time to suspect anything.

When using iodine checkers, the following nuances should be taken into account:

If respiratory diseases are detected in chickens, then disinfection with an iodide bomb will have to be carried out once every 2 days.
When the concentration of the product decreases, you can treat the chicken coop every day, but we must not forget about the breaks that are taken every 3 days.
Air should not be allowed to enter the room in order to increase the concentration of iodine vapor to 200 mg per cubic meter.
In order to better process the chicken coop, it is still worth temporarily transferring the birds to another room. In addition, all windows and doors must be tightly closed. In this case, it will take about 3 hours to complete disinfection. Afterwards, you need to ventilate the room and rinse the equipment with clean water, and only then start the chickens.

Watch a short video on treating a chicken coop with an iodine bomb:

An alternative form of the drug is checker

Today you have the opportunity to acquire blue checkers. Such products are sold in the form of a bulk mass, products in jars and tablets.

It would be unfair not to note the annual increase in the popularity of checkers. Naturally, this pattern is associated with their high efficiency, explained by the deep permeability of iodine vapor.

Ways to use checkers:

Disinfection of the chicken coop;
prevention of large-scale damage to the herd by diseases;
therapeutic treatment during epidemics.

Before using the innovative product, there is no need to empty the poultry house of chickens.

How is a checker used? The first step is to find a material that is resistant to fire. You can use iron sheet, concrete surface, brick. A checker is placed on them and set on fire. That's all. The checker works for about half a minute.

Side effects and contraindications

One should not be irresponsible about the use of “blue” in the treatment of certain pathologies in birds, since it can cause dangerous side effects. These include:

damage to excretory organs;
pain in the stomach and intestines;
development of allergies;
decrease in hemoglobin in the blood (anemia).

Side effects may increase when treating a large area of skin with blue iodine.

You will also have to deal with side effects if the dosage of the drug is not correct. In this case, chickens become poisoned and experience diarrhea and vomiting.

As for contraindications, this drug cannot be used if it causes allergies in chickens in the form of skin irritation, itching, redness, etc. In some birds, allergies may occur even with strict adherence to the dosage.

Things to remember when treating with methylene blue

Having chosen the product in question for regular treatment of the aquarium, it is necessary not only to study the instructions for its use, but also to learn about the features of use. In an aquarium, methylene blue can, along with improving the health of its inhabitants, cause the following changes:

paint the walls of the vessel if it is made of plastic;
give color to some objects inside the aquarium, primarily those that have large pores and light color (for example, natural stones, corals);
destroy the balance of nitrogenous compounds contained in water.

Having the ability to completely remove protozoan parasites and fungi from the aquarium and the fish’s body, blueing requires taking into account the specifics of its effects. Therefore, before using the drug solution, light, easily stained objects and decorations should be removed from the container so that they do not change their shade and lose their attractiveness.

Breeders reviews

Breeders often use methylene blue to treat their pets. They share their experience in the comments:

★★★★★
Anna, 35 years old, Volgograd region. We have about 10 chickens.
This is quite enough for our family, as they lay eggs well. But one day an accident happened to our main laying hen. She landed unsuccessfully, flew off the fence, and cut her leg in the shin area on a sharp object standing nearby. At first we tried to stop the bleeding with hydrogen peroxide, and then we treated him with a solution of methylene blue. We tried to treat the sore leg every day. She healed quite quickly. ★★★★★
Nikita Sergeevich, 41 years old, Moscow region. Not long ago I noticed that several chickens began to fall on their feet and sit out in the sawdust (they serve as bedding for me).
Before this, my chickens laid eggs very well, so I guessed that they lacked calcium, since a lot of it goes into the formation of eggs. To cure the chickens, he began giving them shells and chalk as a source of calcium. Additionally, he began to treat them with methylene blue, pouring its solution with a syringe into the beak of each bird. After the first procedure they became more active. I added blue iodine to drinking water for a few more days. Gradually all the chickens recovered. I will give more if necessary. ★★★★★
Maria Ivanovna, 50 years old, Rostov region. Every breeder should know about such a wonderful, and most importantly budget-friendly product, as methylene blue.
Most often I use it to disinfect the chicken coop. I spray the solution on the walls and wipe down the equipment. Thanks to this, my chickens are always healthy. Sometimes, for prevention, I drop blue iodine into the drinking water of birds. ★★★★★
Maxim Viktorovich, 64 years old, Astrakhan region. I got small chickens, but began to notice that they were not as active and had loose droppings.
I took several of them for analysis and it turned out that the chickens were infected with coccidiosis. An experienced farmer neighbor advised me to prepare blue iodine and feed it to the chickens. That's exactly what I did. I gave them a solution of the drug 0.5 ml 3 times a day. I treated them like this for about a week. At the same time, I removed fresh greens from the chicken menu. To my joy, the chickens were saved. ★★★★★
Andrey Petrovich, 48 years old, Krasnodar region. Not long ago I began to notice that the chickens began to be reluctant to eat food.
Just in case, I took the chicken droppings to the laboratory for analysis. To my surprise, it turned out that my chickens were infected with helminths. I've heard that you can fight them with methylene blue and wormwood. First, I prepared a decoction of wormwood, boiling it for about 10 minutes, and then added blue iodine to it. I dropped 5 drops of the solution into each chicken's beak. Just in case, I added the same composition to the drinking bowls. I treated my chickens like this for several days. Then I submitted the litter for analysis again. No more helminths were found. During treatment, the chickens gradually became more active again. Hide

Add your review

Methylene blue is a drug with an antiseptic effect and excellent digestibility, which is effectively used to treat chickens. However, you should consult your veterinarian before using it. He will assess the prospects for treatment and also help you choose the right dosage based on the specific disease and condition of the chickens.

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