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#1 11/07/2009 9:05 am
- Leghorn Junction
- New Egg
- From: NE Pennsylvania
- Registered: 08/10/2009
- Posts: 20
HELP PLEASE!! with 3-day old chicks
1. My 6 beautiful 3-day old silkies are scratching their necks, scratching under their wings with their beaks, and twitching their heads while sleeping. I can't see anything, but could they have mites? They're in the house, not around other chickens. Is it safe to use a little Permethrin in the bottom of their brooder when I change their bedding? Or could it something else?
2. Also they like to eat the tiny little bits of shavings...will it hurt them?
I've looked all over for help and would appreciate any advice. Thanks.
Last edited by Leghorn Junction (11/07/2009 10:12 am)
14 white leghorns, 10 barnyard mix (RIR), 1 silkie rooster, 6 silkie chicks, 1 black lab, 1 cat, 1 husband
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#2 11/07/2009 4:35 pm
- Soccer Mom
- Chicken Obsessed
- From: West of Crazy
- Registered: 05/05/2009
- Posts: 1355
Re: HELP PLEASE!! with 3-day old chicks
When you say "scratching", what do you mean? Are they rubbing on things? Or could they just be preening. I wouldn't expect 3 day olds to have mites unless the area was infested or they came from someplace infested.
I wouldn't use any medication. IT sounds more like normal chicken behavior.
And chicks pick at the shavings, but they'll be just fine.
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#3 11/07/2009 4:54 pm
- Leghorn Junction
- New Egg
- From: NE Pennsylvania
- Registered: 08/10/2009
- Posts: 20
Re: HELP PLEASE!! with 3-day old chicks
Nope...born in the new incubator in the house and now in the new "brooder" in the house. That's what my husband said he thought it was -- just typical behavior and preening. Maybe I'm just a nervous first-time "mom". I appreciate your response very much.
14 white leghorns, 10 barnyard mix (RIR), 1 silkie rooster, 6 silkie chicks, 1 black lab, 1 cat, 1 husband
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#4 11/07/2009 4:57 pm
- Elite Silkies
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- From: Oklahoma
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Re: HELP PLEASE!! with 3-day old chicks
I wouldn't put them on shavings until they are at least a week old. I had a few shaking their heads like that. But, the outcome was not good. But, I do not know that your's are doing the same thing that mine were either. They would just twitch their heads.
Wife to a Patient Loving Husband, Mother to 6 children and 2 Grandchildren. We have Lavender Silkies and working on the Porcelain Silkies. We also have White, Black, Blue and Splash Silkies and one White Showgirl Pullet. Should have Coronation Sussex in May 2010 and some split Sussex as well. We also have a Lavender Australorp Project started. Check out our birds! www.elitesilkies.com
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#5 11/07/2009 4:58 pm
- gritsar
- Grumpy ol' biddy
- From: SW Arkansas
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Re: HELP PLEASE!! with 3-day old chicks
Soccer Mom wrote:
When you say "scratching", what do you mean? Are they rubbing on things? Or could they just be preening. I wouldn't expect 3 day olds to have mites unless the area was infested or they came from someplace infested.
I wouldn't use any medication. IT sounds more like normal chicken behavior.
And chicks pick at the shavings, but they'll be just fine.
I agree.
I'm Kat. I may not be perfect, but my german shepherds think I'm trainable.
***As ye harm none, do as ye will***
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#6 11/07/2009 5:14 pm
- Leghorn Junction
- New Egg
- From: NE Pennsylvania
- Registered: 08/10/2009
- Posts: 20
Re: HELP PLEASE!! with 3-day old chicks
Thanks so much. I feel better. But of course I will be watching them closely.
14 white leghorns, 10 barnyard mix (RIR), 1 silkie rooster, 6 silkie chicks, 1 black lab, 1 cat, 1 husband
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#7 11/07/2009 6:16 pm
- gritsar
- Grumpy ol' biddy
- From: SW Arkansas
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Re: HELP PLEASE!! with 3-day old chicks
Something else to consider that just occured to me. Is there any chance that the shavings got contaminated with tiny bugs, fleas, etc. before you put the chicks on them?
I'm Kat. I may not be perfect, but my german shepherds think I'm trainable.
***As ye harm none, do as ye will***
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#8 11/07/2009 6:46 pm
- Leghorn Junction
- New Egg
- From: NE Pennsylvania
- Registered: 08/10/2009
- Posts: 20
Re: HELP PLEASE!! with 3-day old chicks
That is possible, since the bag of shavings were in the same shed as the chicken coop, even though I try to treat out there regularly. They scratch their necks/heads with their feet, pick under their wings with their beaks, and shake their little heads. It may not hurt anything to put a little Permethrin dust down when I change their bedding?
14 white leghorns, 10 barnyard mix (RIR), 1 silkie rooster, 6 silkie chicks, 1 black lab, 1 cat, 1 husband
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#9 11/07/2009 8:01 pm
- gritsar
- Grumpy ol' biddy
- From: SW Arkansas
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Re: HELP PLEASE!! with 3-day old chicks
Leghorn Junction wrote:
That is possible, since the bag of shavings were in the same shed as the chicken coop, even though I try to treat out there regularly. They scratch their necks/heads with their feet, pick under their wings with their beaks, and shake their little heads. It may not hurt anything to put a little Permethrin dust down when I change their bedding?
Got any DE? I'd be real leary of exposing them to the permethrin at such a young age, but maybe that's just me. 
Even using DE I'd go light on it and take the chicks out while treating the shavings, due to the dust.
Last edited by gritsar (11/07/2009 8:02 pm)
I'm Kat. I may not be perfect, but my german shepherds think I'm trainable.
***As ye harm none, do as ye will***
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#10 11/07/2009 8:25 pm
- Soccer Mom
- Chicken Obsessed
- From: West of Crazy
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- Posts: 1355
Re: HELP PLEASE!! with 3-day old chicks
I'd also be leary of exposing them at this young age. Inspect the shavings very carefully and see if you think there is something in them. If there is, I would add a little DE to the box with a layer of shavings over it and let it sit for a bit before addind the chicks back in.
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