2 of my 5 Jap Bantams died. Skinny, won't eat, tiny bugs in feathers??

petitesphinx

Songster
11 Years
Aug 20, 2008
158
3
132
Alabama
You all know that I'm terribly new at having chickens and please forgive my ignorance with these sweet birds.

Yesterday, I just sat helplessly and watched the second of my Black Tailed Japanese Bantams die in my hands..
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The first started to just sit there and tick her head and she was panting or gasping for air. (They are all around 4 months or 5 months?) I called the vet, he said to give her a shot of anitbiotics-we did and she had convulsions and died.
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Now, a week and half later another bantam is acting sick-not gasping, but just sitting there and stumbles when she tries to walk. She won't eat or drink.

I put Wormer in their water thinking the whole coop covered with worms. 24 hours later, I clean the waterers and put Apple Cider Vinegar in their water.

I brought the little Bantam in and she feels lighter than normal. Her little bone is showing under her chest between her legs (is this normal?). I put her in a box in the warmth and dribble Pedialite in her mouth and later in the day give her Apple Cider Vinegar. Her head is droopy and she can't hold it up. (I'm crushed!) Mom gives her a shot of the Anti-Biotics again and she dies shortly after.
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After holding her, I saw tiny bugs crawling all over!!? I don't know what these were?? But they were very small and fast.....

I'm at the point of letting all my chickens free range for now and try to disinfect the coop. I'd rather they play outside and get of the dirt bottom coop and enjoy life than just get sick and stay inside.

Any tips? Suggestions?

We did bring other birds from different farms as we are trying to build our flock and I didn't know that we shouldn't do this.

They have been wormed. When should I put wormer in the waterers again? And the Apple Cider Vinegar is in their water now.

We feed them a mixture of the crumbles with 3 way scratch because we have 3 peafowl, guineas and 1 turkey in the coop as well.

Also, my hen stopped laying.
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And my favorite hen, Cleopatra stopped eating, won't run from me and has lost A LOT of weight this weekend... she has greenish runny poop stuck all in her pretty feathers, too. Is that normal?

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Please help, my chicken master friends!!
 
Could be lice, could be red mites. Parasitic infections are really hard on chickens, if left unchecked. What kind of wormer did you use? Not all wormers treat all worms and parasites. Ivermectin (for cattle) is a good broad spectrum wormer. I certainly wouldn't give any more antibiotics. You will want to clean and disinfect your coop and run thoroughly. Dust the entire area with some poultry dust (permethrin). You should be able to get a bag at any feed store. Pay particular attention to the undersides of the roosts. If it's red mites, this is where they live at night and lay their eggs. During the day, the mites are on the birds.
 
So sorry to hear of all your poultry ills. I would say something has hit your flock from bringing other birds in and not quarantining for 30 days away from your originial flock. I suggest a necropsy on one of the dead birds with your state agricultural dept.

Also I'm not sure a hard worming with some of them being ill is a good thing at the moment, could be adding to your problems... my thoughts/opinions...
 
Cleopatra (the large black Cochin) didn't make it through the evening. I went down 30 minutes ago and found her on the ground. She was my favorite.


Sigghh....



Maybe it isn't for all farmers. I just let them all outside after finding Cleopatra. That way the coop will air out and the sunshine should do them good. We're in the country, so they should be safe...



Another big sighhhhh.......I've lost so many so fast.

The wormer was Wazine 17 for chickens and turkeys. I gave it to all them (in the waterers) after I saw they were puney. I didn't know what else to try if they were already sick-in case it was worms.


This is very discouraging. All I wanted was to have eggs for my family to eat and make a few pet chickens along the way. I'm feeling very low and sick about my poor chickens.
 
:aww I know its hard to lose even one, but don't let it get you down. You will figure this out and that will help you the next time you face an issue with your birds. Treat the with mite and lice powder. Provide some extra protein through cooked eggs. Also get some Poly-vi-sol liquid vitamins and put 3 drops along the edge of each ones beak twice a day.
~Rebecca
 
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Have you been giving your birds grit? They can not properly digest the feed you're giving them without having grit in their gizzards. Even when feeding mash or pelletized feed you must supply birds with grit and change it frequently because, they can be picky about the size they ingest.

Green poop can mean coccidiosis or that they are not eating; bile from the gizzard turns their waste green as does cocci.
 
Sounds to me like a mite infestation.

Your cochin hen, sorry for your loss by the way, looks pale. She was anemic from having the little blood suckers on her.

It sounds as though you have a severe infestation and you need to take charge RIGHT now.

Go to Wal-Mart and get some Adams Flea and Tick Spray and some Adams Flea and Tick Dip.

Push the feathers up from around the vent. There will be mites all over this region. Spray the dickens out of them. Then, once the hen is thoroughly ticked, dip her in the Adams Flea and Tick Dip, being SURE to get underneath all of her feathers. She will be SOAKED.

Then, allow her to air dry. You can reapply the spray if you like, but I use Sevin Dust after they are thoroughly dry.

I use 10% dust in severe infestations and 5% for prevention purposes. You might also want to go in and dust the entire coop area. ESPECIALLY the nests! One bird sits down, leaves mites on the eggs, another goes to lay an egg...and BAM. Another bird infested.

Do this treatment to ALL of your birds at the same time. This way you don't have to follow the infestation around but kill it in one swift span of time. Dusting the birds with the Sevin once a month, or even once every 3 months will help prevent the parasites from coming back.

I dust my coops every 3 months when I change the litter. WEAR A MASK!
 
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The gizzard is a grinding area. I believe you have this confused with the liver or even gallbladder.

Cocci cause blood in the feces. So if your birds are passing blood, you might need to give medicated feed. I use feed with Amprolium in cases like that.
 
I don't have anything to add - mikarod has excellent feedback for you - please follow it. I just wanted to add to please not get discouraged by this. I am sorry for your losses, but I feel like you can get it under control and save the rest of them. Be strong for your birds - they all need you most now!!
 

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