Broody mama has lice; 4d chicks do too. Now I’m wondering about all the other symptoms…

[aliris]

I just went out and did. And also gave her some water. I don't know why she's lethargic, could maybe have been toxicity from the lysing of the tapeworm? She's not catatonic, just not her feisty self. She seemed to appreciate water. I hope she is ok...

 

[dawg53]

I've dealt with tapeworms. Once Equimax is given to a tapeworm infected bird, it goes to work right away. Within an hour; pieces and/or broken up tapeworm sections are excreted. They are white or off white in color, can be stringy like jellyfish tentacles or in sections that can be flat looking in shape and segmented. I've never had a bird become weak or sick from worm toxicity due to tapeworms nor roundworms.
If that's the case in this instance, I recommend a molasses flush.
Also, if the bird was infested with external parasites, that could be a cause of weakness.

 

[aliris]

Thanks, dawg53. She's much perkier today. Yesterday there was a very mucilaginous poop left, a little like someone else had posted around this topic a while back, though smaller and less cohesive. I didn't take a photo or rifle through it, to be honest. It is what it is. But it seems to me that there may be some perging of infected gut lining that's - what's the word - can't think of it, there's a specific medical term .... anyway, it's very gelatinous, very hydrated, very shiny, - and whatever that substance is, it puffs up the volume because when it dries out the whole thing collapses way down. Whoever had that inside of them has to be feeling better for getting it out!

The flat-white segments I've seen before. And I haven't *noticed* any exiting in poop the past couple days, but...

Anyway, - yeah, maybe malaise from just some other parasites and I hope either the praziquantel or the ivermectin will get it gone!

Everyone seems perkier today.

When y'all say "give them vitamins" - what does that mean? Or ... electrolytes - what's that mean? I have some super-gross "fortified" water sitting in the fridge someone gave me at a street fair and I completely cannot choke down. It's probably not nice to give that to a chicken? I've seen online "recipes" for salt and ?? - here's a random person's opinion which includes salt and lemon: https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-make-a-sugar-free-sports-drink-2241684

Do you have a "recipe" for either, vitamins or electrolyte solution, you suggest? thx!

I have a very large multi-vitamin for humans, I could cut that in half? In fourths? I cannot imagine, though, that the mixture for humans is ideal for chickens....

thx.

 

[dawg53]

I recommend that you stick with vitamins/minerals etc that are specifically for animals including chickens. I have 2 go to favorites that I prefer to give my birds in times of stress or when I feel they need it:
ProBios Dispersible powder as a top dressing on feed or Poultry Nutri Drench liquid.

 

[aliris]

Thank you. I ordered the "drench" (such a funny term) bc it's hard to control their food (they free range in the backyard and would be not amused if I cooped them up).

Happy to report everyone's looking *way* perkier. Gave all but the momma a bath to start them off fresh with cleaner butts. The one I believe was most effected had a 100% runny poop today, lots of bubbles in it, but no visible worms? ... I think? I'm attaching the picture in case anyone can disabuse me. It's hard to distinguish the diarrhea from the pavement beneath though.

And then there's this picture with the white squigglies. Someone said that tapeworms, or maybe just round worms, could be seen as squiggles in the poop? Is this round worms? I've seen and clearly identified the flat tapeworm segments which the praziquantel would have been - hopefully - targeting. But are these round worms coming along for the ride? Attaching the segments-photo just for completeness.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The white looks like urates to me.

 

[aliris]

The white looks like urates to me.

Ah, great to know. Thanks.

 

[catballou]

Thank you so much! I don’t know which hen has the wormy poop (@@). It’s ok to spend a few days figuring that out? Not even sure how to do that. I suppose I could try isolating her until I happened to catch her pooping???

The thread on dewormer is mega-confusing. Too many choices!

I will concentrate on the live, pay attention, if possible, to the poop and focus on which of the too-many solutions to the worm problem later!

Unless I hear from you a different plan…

It is easy to see who's pooping what in the mornings. They all have a big load after they get out of the coop.
And never give corid unless you are 1000% sure they need it. A vet can check a fecal and tell you.

 

[catballou]

Yeah, we do use DE -- lots of it, lol! I didn't even realize there was food grade, we just have a big box of it. I think it came from Home Depot so.... not likely food grade. But to be honest, they have been ingesting that for a long while.

I *think* what happened is there is lice in "background" levels all the time but when this checken went broody and really was stressed and not caring well for herself, they got overwhelmed. While this other one chicken has had a tape worm, seemingly, for at least a few weeks, perhaps longer. So that probably gives a background level of stress too.

DE is horrible to feed to chickens, and bad for them to breathe in.

 

[aliris]

DE is horrible to feed to chickens, and bad for them to breathe in.

Wow, interesting. It was on here that another said they used it. Perhaps I should have looked into it further.

Hm, interesting: https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-diatomaceous-earth

We've used it in floorboards and the like for 5 decades around here, so I wasn't terribly cautious about it. But I can see that there's a physical scouring problem depending on the source.

Ceasing use now. Thank you!