Advice needed, please! I'm not a beginner but this has me stumped 🤔😟

[Henhouse Harlot]

We moved with our small flock of 7 hens and a rooster, to an old friend of mines place last fall, sight unseen. I trusted things would be, more or less, how they were the last time I was here. A small flock of beloved hens, placidly pecking about. Cared for, loved, healthy...
Well, when we arrived this time, there were about 20+ mangy, unkempt, underfed assorted hens, and easily twice that many roosters. As you can probably imagine, it was total chaos. Every chicken for itself!
Obvious nasty cases of Scaly Leg mites, comb colors ranging from pale to dark purple, and general malaise describes the "Parking Lot Chickens". It's really sad!
Well, since making the mistake of moving here, next to chickens who run wild and hop my fence, I have now lost two seemingly healthy young hens to who-knows-what. I'm positive everyone here has parasites, and probably a few other problems as well.
I just want to figure out how to get everyone healthy again!
Pictures soon, I'm looking for any and possibilities here! Lice, mites, infection, what have you.
Pictures tomorrow!!!

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

Can I/should I treat everyone with Corid? How about the leg mites? Do I have to scrub the scabs off every single chicken?? Can I do any kind of DIY fecal egg float? What else should I look for?

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

@azygous @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock any ideas on where I should start..?

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

Words like, "overwhelming" & "daunting" come to mind! There's no way to keep those chickens completely separated from mine. It doesn't seem to matter what I do, or build, they are simply hungry. (They belonged to my friends Mother, when she died last April, the chickens got forgotten.) My friend is a mess over her Mother, and so is in complete denial. She's told me multiple times how many "chicken experts" just RAVED about how beautiful her chickens were, how 'healthy'.
She thinks a few handfuls of cracked corn once in awhile is more than enough food, because they're "free-range".
My chickens have real food. All the time, clean water as well Of course the "98% Chickens " want inside our yard! Well, it's a delicate situation because I truly love this woman and I can see that she's been completely traumatized by grief. So, I'm going to fix her chickens. Try to!
Once I started to set 'flock blocks' out for the "PLC's" they started to stay out, all except a few very brave roosters, and one small but fierce hen with a single chick. My own Silver Laced Wyandotte rooster outweighs these tiny PLC roosters by a good 7lbs! He's enormous, compared. He also doesn't like random visits. My beauty-queen Silver chicken, she chases the hen and chick.
There's still contact though.
I'm not even sure where to begin, the standard questions don't work here. I bed my coop with good quality straw, deep litter method. These Parking Lot Chickens roost EVERYWHERE at night, but I think I know most spots. Mainly in the barn rafters and trees!
I suppose all this rambling is me looking for support and direction. Please, help? Thank you!!!

 

[azygous]

What a zoo. Or circus. It's indeed something all right.

Probably a good place to begin would be to give each chicken a few drops of Ivermectin 1%. That would treat internal and external parasites, including leg mites.

Go ahead and mix up some Corid for the PLCs. It can't hurt.

They need a good diet to resuscitate their immune systems. But beyond these few measures, I don't see what else you can do. Any chickens with avian viruses will just need to see it play out.

 

[Chickassan]

Omg, I have no idea how to help you but you better believe I'm rooting for you.
What a predicament you're having to deal with.
How in the world do you even begin to handle a herd of ravenous PLC??
Bless your heart.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would worm them with Valbazen or SafeGuard liquid goat worme, possibly treat them with Corid, and use probiotics a couple of days a week. Use a good balanced chicken feed and clean water every day. Vitamins for a short time may also help (but not until after Corid is finished.) This has happened to other people here where they have rehomed their flocks at some point, then were offered the chickens back later. Hopefully, you can get them back to good health soon.

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

Thank you SO much, everyone, from the solid advice to the empathy!
Should I start with Corid or Ivermectin? Also, if I can't be completely sure the PLC's are not drinking from the horse buckets...(the Cord water wouldn't be the only source of water for them), so should I do it for a longer time period? Or direct dose each one? I'm going to get some leg bands to tell who've I treated. Thank you again!!!!

 

[NatJ]

about 20+ mangy, unkempt, underfed assorted hens, and easily twice that many roosters.

Is there any chance of butchering some of them? (Especially the roosters.)

 

[Eggcessive]

You can treat with Corid and ivermectin at the same time. Corid dosage is given in the water 2 tsp of the liquid or 1.5 tsp of the powder for each gallon of water for 5-7 days. It needs to be their only water source, even if you have to confine them.