Underweight Birds

Hi Everyone,

I am worried about my two white chanteclers. They are pretty small, and are VERY light! My SL's are way heavier then them too. They have recently had mites/lice, so maybe that has something to do with it, but they didn't seem to have an effect on my SL's. They are over a year old. I'd say they are even less then a pound and pretty bony Can anyone help me figure out what wrong with them, and help them get better?

Thanks

Do you have a vet that you can take a stool sample to for a worm check? It's usually very inexpensive (here, $5 US).

If you can't do the vet route, I would try a worming. I use valbazen (albendazole) which is a broad spectrum wormer intended for cattle and sheep, used "off label" for chickens. A search here on BYC will turn up other broad spectrum cattle wormers you can use, but I only have experience with the valbazen.

You give 1/2 cc., orally, undiluted for standard birds; 1/4 cc. for bantams. Easiest way I've found to administer it is to go into the coop in the morning, grab a bird, worm it and then put it outside. That way you don't have to worry about worming anyone twice. This may not be necessary if you only have a few birds and can tell them all apart. Use a needle-less syringe. If the bird won't open its beak, gently tug on the wattles; the beak will open. Administer it slowly so that the bird doesn't aspirate any of it into their lungs.

Hope this helps.