Buckeye Breed Thread

[foxflower]

Thanks for the heads-up and all the help. I'll be careful with dosage.

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
Yea, I do remember reading that most mites live in the housing & bedding.

 

[capayvalleychick]

That rooster's recovery is amazing! I'm truly glad for you! I had no idea that parasites could cause such a severe reaction.

This question belongs in another thread, but you all Buckeye people are so great & knowledgeable, I'll ask it here.
How do you know if you have lice or mites? Or worms/parasites?
I have never done anything for any of those parasites and I've never had a problem. My chickens do free range.
I did have a fecal test done on a couple hens once and there weren't any parasites. I was feeding organic feed with DE at the time and wonder if that is why? I've switched now, to a higher protein feed without DE.
I try to do things as close to organic as possible. There are some toxic substances that I won't use. On the other hand, I don't understand how DE could work as a dewormer because it only works when dry?
I do use ivermectin to worm my horses and the pour on with my cattle that doesn't have milk withdrawal. So, I don't mind using those.

Kim

 

[Arielle]

2X

I would like to prevent any problems in my young flock. How do I prevent and monitor? There has been some good advice on treatment. Does any one deworm for internal parasites routinely?

 

[Arielle]

oops forgot the best part of my questions . . . .

How well do Buckeyes resist internal parasites, etc? Can they resist external types as well? Anyone selecting for such things in their flocks?

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
I don't think the bird can control that. Other wise I'd think it depends on the environment, if the bird Is exposed to mites or lice, they are probably going to get them. And probably not going get rid of them themselves. When the birds what I call dust bathes, that help get rid of any bugs on the bird.
I have no idea about the internal parasites. You would have to ask someone else.

my opinion, I don't know for sure.
Punky

 

[cgmccary]

Tailfeathers: Chris, the Ivermectin that you refer to, is that Eprinex (the pour on solution) or the injectible? I bought the pour on because there is no withdrawal period for the eggs. I'm curious though if the injectible can also be used as a pour on? And if so, would you withdraw the eggs for a couple of weeks as you would if injected?

Btw, I hope you won't hold this against me but the rooster I mentioned that I lost, well that was one from Faux. So I'm anxious to get some more eggs from you.

Foxflower, if the problem with this rooster turns out to be solely a result of mites, I would not hesitate to breed him IF he is what I wanted him to be in all other respects. Now if it's a spinal deformity, some other illness, or something that I just wouldn't want passed on to the offspring, then I'd make good use of him with some noodles and a little celery, onions, and carrots.

I buy it at my feedstore. I use it as heartworm preventative for my dogs (.1 ml per 10 lbs of body weight for them) -- I discovered this much cheaper method of heartworm control when my hound was born with the non-contagious kind of mange and I had to treat her with huge daily doses of the stuff for about 3 months for said mange. My vet said "you can keep using it monthly as a heartworm preventative for her at a much lower dose," & he gave me the dosage, so I did. I later found it could be used (off-label) as a de-wormer, de-miter, de-louser (all but a tape worm) for poultry. I never de-wormed because I never have had a worm problem until recently when the turkey had the blackhead. However, they all got de-wormed when I had the mite problem. Now, one SHOULD probably not eat the eggs for 2-3 weeks after using but I have no health afflictions that the stuff would harm me so I eat the eggs. In addition, once traveling in a foreign country (third world) years ago, I swallowed a bunch of the nasty stuff for reasons I won't go into and it worked wonders -- so if I can drink a mouth full and live I always thought, "how the hell could the eggs hurt me?" (I realize there could be some some metabolic changes that occur to the substance as it goes through the hens skin, through her body & into an egg, (so I am not advising anyone-- just saying what I DO, but folks, we are talking about drops--- I get that much on my hands when I'm doing it-- and yes, I have tried wearing the gloves but I still somehow get it on my hands anyway -- so I guess I get dewormed too -- each month when I do the dogs)-- I won't argue with anyone about eating the eggs as this is each's individual choice -- as for me, I am healthy & I eat the eggs. I have had no problems.

I have bought it as: http://www.valleyvet.biz/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e07947-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5 at my feedstore.

but recently at my feedstore, I noticed the no-name brand-- same stuff about $10 cheaper and is what I have now: http://www.valleyvet.biz/ct_detail.html?pgguid=a8a68471-6028-49ce-b371-cc5d86dbddf4

punky: I don't think the bird can control that. Other wise I'd think it depends on the environment, if the bird Is exposed to mites or lice, they are probably going to get them. And probably not going get rid of them themselves. When the birds what I call dust bathes, that help get rid of any bugs on the bird.

I agree with Punky here. Wild birds can bring in lice/ mites & there ain't a whole lot you can do about it; it is a LUCK thing, a CHANCE thing. It happens, not the bird's fault.

As for DE, I know what DE is as many know, I used to be a geologist & specialized in micropaleontology (minored in Biology with emphasis on invertebrates including those internal parasites) and DE will not shred a parasitic worm in the body of its host -- NO WAY. It also will not prevent lice and mites no better than a good dust bath for the bird in good dirt or sand which will HELP (I had DE in my dust baths when I got the invasion of MITES so take my word for it & SAVE YOUR MONEY). Again, I won't argue with one who wants to use DE, your choice. It is pricey . . . but IMHO, no better than sand & sand is good dust bath and CHEAPER! (or the red dirt we have around here). Just my thoughts & I hope it helps someone.​

 

[cgmccary]

One more thing: there should be a healthy balance in nature between the worms and your birds. Worms become a problem when something else occurs and weakens your bird & worms overtake. I de-wormed because of the blackhead in my turkey hen-- that is all. I still have NEVER seen the first worm come out of my chickens. I also had their poop tested and the vet said "no worms" BEFORE the de-worming.

 

[Tailfeathers]

I don't wish to sound argumentative, and certainly not with Chris as he is much more the expert than I am, but I must say that I have seen first-hand what DE can do with both internal worms and mites/lice.

Years ago I saw a round worm in some chicken poo and went on a search for what to do. After reading several things, I decided to try the DE. It wasn't but a few days when I started seeing a bunch of dead round worms in the poo and haven't had a problem since.

And it doesn't work just on chickens. A couple of years ago I had a couple of pregnant cats that I took in to get speyed. The vet said the looked awful skinny and I thought it was just from the nursing but she suspected worms. So I got some canned catfood and mixed up a bunch of DE in it. If I remember right, the very next day I found several diarrhea pools with and there was like 15 worms in one puddle.

There was nothing else that I did in either of the above cases so if it wasn't the DE, then it had to be one heckuva coincidence.

As for mites and lice, I've read a couple of places - and I think one was a study from some university - that DE contains microscopic razor-like edges that cuts the exoskeleton of the parasites and then the power absorbs the body fluids thereby killing them from dehydration.

And, for what it's worth, I have also taken DE. Not that I had a need to (no worms or anything) but just for the heckuvit and it does seem to clean the system out pretty well.

But Chris is correct when he says that DE will not necessarily prevent your birds from getting mites. I use it liberally and will continue to do so as I'm convinced it is a great preventative measure. It is not a cure all however. I finally got my mite problem cured but it too spraying everything down with a permethrin solution - including the birds, bathing the birds in Zodiac Flea & Tick Killer (same as Adams only cheaper. Main active ingredient is Pyrethrin.) and then spraying everything down again with permethrin (except for the birds). I've been told that one needs to be careful as permethrin (and probably pyrethrin too) can make birds sterile (especially roosters). I guess the sterility will come back but it may take awhile. I'll have to wait and see if I've created that problem.

And btw, before I go, thanks for the info on Ivermectin Chris. I'll have to see how it compares to the Eprinex for cost. I wasn't aware you could use it as a pour on as well. If it's cheaper, I'll go that route instead.

God Bless,

 

[vmdanielsen]

Question: Do roosters taste different than hens or capons? I have a sister who refuses to eat roosters because she says they taste terrible.