Day-old chick parasite problems

[Paulinefrn]

Hello!
Yesterday, a new member of the flock hatched! Very cute little one, and in pretty good conditions so far. The mother is a hen that is always broody so i think letting her incubate the egg was a good idea. It's finally gonna make her go out a bit!

My problem is that about a week into the incubation, i noticed that my flock had a serious parasite problem. Found out about it too late, so most of them are infected. They mostly all have some kind of poultry lice, small and yellow/translucent in their feathers. They each only have a few in certain areas, but this hen has more than others, and she also seems to have red mites, but in a much larger amount.
I am not a pro at all, so i am going to ask a vet to come and get a more precise diagnosis as well as the right prescriptions. I will go get an appointment as soon as i can, but i have no idea how long it will take for someone to come..

In the meantime, what should i do with the chick? She already has some red mites around her eyes (i applied some ointment there to prevent the mites from staying) and a few black ones on her. I really don't want to separate her from the mother, but i feel like the mites/lice or whatever they are, could be dangerous for such a young baby if i leave her with the infected hen. Is it possible to re-introduce her to her mom later if i do take her away? Is there something else i can do the prevent the parasite going on the baby?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Permethrin!

I use it on chicks too, sitting broody's are parasite magnets.

https://www.horse.com/item/fly-rid-plus-spray/E006407/

Found in the equine section at feed stores. Also comes in other brands and concentrated form. EVERY bird... after roost and keeping it dark to avoid chasing... a spritz just below the vent, under each wing pit, and to the base of the head at the nape of the neck... making sure to part feathers so it hits the skin. Drenching is NOT required. I use a soaked cotton ball when avoiding chicks eyes.

Yes they can be dangerous as chicks don't have a lot of blood to give away. Reintroduction would be a challenge at best if you took it away. This stuff works! Use it. Be SURE to repeat treatment in the correct amount of days (according to directions) to interrupt the life cycle AND prevent the parasites from building resistance to the product. Your coop and roosts can be treated with this as well.

https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

I would also be sure I am feeding starter or flock raiser and not layer.

Also if you have rats and such.. they are notorious carriers, so dealing with them is recommended.



ETA: putting your location in your profile can help other make more valid suggestions without having to ask first.. since not all things are available at all locations.

 

[Paulinefrn]

Permethrin!

I use it on chicks too, sitting broody's are parasite magnets.

https://www.horse.com/item/fly-rid-plus-spray/E006407/

Found in the equine section at feed stores. Also comes in other brands and concentrated form. EVERY bird... after roost and keeping it dark to avoid chasing... a spritz just below the vent, under each wing pit, and to the base of the head at the nape of the neck... making sure to part feathers so it hits the skin. Drenching is NOT required. I use a soaked cotton ball when avoiding chicks eyes.

Yes they can be dangerous as chicks don't have a lot of blood to give away. Reintroduction would be a challenge at best if you took it away. This stuff works! Use it. Be SURE to repeat treatment in the correct amount of days (according to directions) to interrupt the life cycle AND prevent the parasites from building resistance to the product. Your coop and roosts can be treated with this as well.

https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

I would also be sure I am feeding starter or flock raiser and not layer.

Also if you have rats and such.. they are notorious carriers, so dealing with them is recommended.



ETA: putting your location in your profile can help other make more valid suggestions without having to ask first.. since not all things are available at all locations.

Thank you for your reply,
I know about permethrin, but unfortunately i live on a small island with only one farm store (which i have found only recently) and they do not sell permethrin. I am hoping that i will be able to get some through the vet!
I am currently feeding them a layer feed.. and again, the store only sells layer feeds or grounded corn (which i beleive does not provide enough nutrients) but would that be better? And what is the issue with the layer feed?
From the link you sent, it looks like most of my chickens have a few lices in some places (but not a huge amount) and the hen +chick are infested with northern fowl mites. (But other chickens probably have a few)

 

[EggSighted4Life]

The layer is better than corn... maybe give the chick some extra protein when ya can.

Hmm, I wonder what other products your farm store carries? We might be able to make suggestions based on that... or will Amazon deliver?

Pour on ivermectin (a cattle dewormer but has other uses)... is not labeled for use in chickens and requires a withdrawal time for eggs. Dosage is available here on BYC if that is an option for you. It's very effective as well.

@rebrascora you got ideas here? TIA

 

[Paulinefrn]

The layer is better than corn... maybe give the chick some extra protein when ya can.

Hmm, I wonder what other products your farm store carries? We might be able to make suggestions based on that... or will Amazon deliver?

Pour on ivermectin (a cattle dewormer but has other uses)... is not labeled for use in chickens and requires a withdrawal time for eggs. Dosage is available here on BYC if that is an option for you. It's very effective as well.

@rebrascora you got ideas here? TIA

I have no idea what else the store sells, doesn't have a website either. Amazon doesn't deliver, but there are ways to get it shipped. Takes at least two weeks though.
Again, thanks for your replies. I will check if there is a way of getting ivermectin, otherwise i will just wait for the vet.

 

[rebrascora]

I would probably feed the chick and broody a scrambled egg every other day instead of it getting 100% layer feed and maybe ferment the layer feed.

As regards the mites, unfortunately broody hens are a 24/7 banqueting opportunity for them. I make a point of disting their nest with DE before I set eggs and several times during the process. In your situation I would move the hen and chick to a new location with clean bedding and ensure she has access to plenty of dust bathing facilities that contain wood ash and dirt. The broody will be only too keen to show the chick how to dust bath..... it is my favourite broody/chick watching experience....... so funny seeing a chick get too close to the demonstration and suddenly go flying across the yard as the enthusiastic broody accidentally catches it whilst she is scratching up a patch of loose dirt...... my first broody had 14 chicks and seeing them all standing in a circle around her like a class of school children and her scratching and writhing in a dust bowl in the middle of them more or less oblivious to them and every now and then one fall in with her and get scratched out skidding across the ground only to pick itself up and toddle back to the edge and resume watching.

I've recently been using a blow torch to lightly scorch the nooks and crannies of a coop that is having problems with mites and is too close to my apiary to use permethrin or any other insecticide for that matter, so maybe that is an option until something can be shipped in. It has taken several treatments but I am starting to win the war. I also squash as many as I can find with my fingers.... you can even create demountable crevice areas where they will enjoy congregating and breeding near the ends of the roost bars or under the nest boxes and remove them on a regular basis and scorch or drown in soapy water. Or dusting the coop with hydrated lime but give it a few days before you put chickens back in there. Or give the coop a good coat of proper creosote.
Or fill all the cracks and crevices etc with a thick layer of Vaseline. Ground Cinnamon works to repel ants, so that might be worth trying by puffing that into the nooks and crannies, but I would leave the birds to dust themselves and just make sure they have all the materials they need to do a good job.... loose soil/dirt, compost and wood ash.

 

[alexa009]

My broodies always become the target to mites and lice when incubating eggs and they end up getting passed on to the chicks they hatch. You will start to notice bare spots on the chicks too. You definitely have to prevent it or else it will progress to a more harsh form and can be detrimental to the chick.

 

[Paulinefrn]

I would probably feed the chick and broody a scrambled egg every other day instead of it getting 100% layer feed and maybe ferment the layer feed.

As regards the mites, unfortunately broody hens are a 24/7 banqueting opportunity for them. I make a point of disting their nest with DE before I set eggs and several times during the process. In your situation I would move the hen and chick to a new location with clean bedding and ensure she has access to plenty of dust bathing facilities that contain wood ash and dirt. The broody will be only too keen to show the chick how to dust bath..... it is my favourite broody/chick watching experience....... so funny seeing a chick get too close to the demonstration and suddenly go flying across the yard as the enthusiastic broody accidentally catches it whilst she is scratching up a patch of loose dirt...... my first broody had 14 chicks and seeing them all standing in a circle around her like a class of school children and her scratching and writhing in a dust bowl in the middle of them more or less oblivious to them and every now and then one fall in with her and get scratched out skidding across the ground only to pick itself up and toddle back to the edge and resume watching.

I've recently been using a blow torch to lightly scorch the nooks and crannies of a coop that is having problems with mites and is too close to my apiary to use permethrin or any other insecticide for that matter, so maybe that is an option until something can be shipped in. It has taken several treatments but I am starting to win the war. I also squash as many as I can find with my fingers.... you can even create demountable crevice areas where they will enjoy congregating and breeding near the ends of the roost bars or under the nest boxes and remove them on a regular basis and scorch or drown in soapy water. Or dusting the coop with hydrated lime but give it a few days before you put chickens back in there. Or give the coop a good coat of proper creosote.
Or fill all the cracks and crevices etc with a thick layer of Vaseline. Ground Cinnamon works to repel ants, so that might be worth trying by puffing that into the nooks and crannies, but I would leave the birds to dust themselves and just make sure they have all the materials they need to do a good job.... loose soil/dirt, compost and wood ash.

Thank you so much for your reply!
Your suggestion as to ferment the layer feed intrigues me, i did not know it was an option.
How would you ferment the feed, is there a specific way to do it and for how long? If the fermented feed is better for the chick, does it have some more nutrients/is better for the chickens in general -and if so- could it be a beneficial option to feed the whole flock with it?
I try to change the bedding in the nest boxes at least once a week, to prevent bugs or other insects to have the time to settle in it. Their fence goes through a mangrove bush, meaning the soil under the branches is very loose, powdery and full of insects (well at least it used to be!) and perfect for dustbathing, scratching around, and even cooling off in the shade since the ground is always being turned around and doesn't overheat. They all, except for the broody ones, dustbath regularly there in a specific place. I didn't think mites would ever be a problem, until i saw them. Didn't consider that the broodies don't dustbath... Well i hope everything will be fine. The chick is very healthy, and i keep applying vaseline on his face to make sure the mites don't take in too much blood from the little guy. I put some vaseline in the cracks around their nest but they're hiding in the feathers of the hen.. she also came out of the chicken house with the baby today. Don't think she dustbathed but she is starting to move around a bit more. That should help aswell!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I put some vaseline in the cracks around their nest but they're hiding in the feathers of the hen.

Northern fowl mites and lice don't care about cracks they live on the host. It's red mites that live in cracks and come out to feed.

I fed ONLY fermented feed for about 2 years... I still do it as a treat. To me it's a bit over rated... I saw NO significant changes (including no savings) in my flock when I fermented than when I did not... but my work was immense with a flock my size of 82 and having my time back is awesome.

Simply add water and stir a couple times a day until it's bubbling and you smell the change.. kinda like buttermilk smell. How long depends on what feed you are using and your ambient temp... Warmer areas ferment faster than cool areas. Most birds do not instantly take to it and require a couple introductions.. as they are creatures of habit and this is something new. Depends a little on how adventurous your flock is. If you add ACV or any other starter (not really needed), then you alter bacteria you are encouraging to grow. Plain water grabs it from the air.

While it SLIGHTLY increases some nutrients... it must also decrease others. Formulated rations.... ARE formulated by experts in poultry nutrition.

Regarding the chick... I would simply offer extra nutrients like the scrambled egg or any other protein and amino acid rich snack.

Vaseline on it's head just means the parasites will move to a different part of the body to feed... I would consider a bath with dish soap to remove what you can and blow dry the chick before returning to mum. We usually do this after dark to minimize mums' frustration if we have to treat anyone for pasted vent or whatever.

First day out is so precious.

Glad you are on top of this!