Do we have mites - Questions - Advice?

[atkinsonfive]

I currently have 15, almost 3 yr old, Buff Orpingtons and 17, 9 month old, Isa Browns. Over the last 4 months I have lost 4 of my Buffs. Every 3 -5 weeks or so I find one acting oddly and then within 2 weeks they die. The Buffs were vaccinated for Coccidosis and Mareks as hatchlings, but the Isas were not, as they came from the local grain elevator and this wasn't an option. The combs look pale. The feathers are all fluffed up about the head and neck - like there is no definition between the body and head. They move a little slowly. They still have hardy appetites and push the others around for food, etc., no behavior problems - the other girls don't seem to notice any difference or treat them differently. They progressivly seem to get tipsy and knock over and extend the wing to balance and then move on as normal. Eventually they tip over and can't get up without assistance. They have a heat lamp so they are not cold in these chilly evenings. I don't know if they are just "old" and this is what happens with larger breeds. They are big breasted, hearty birds. Do they get lame? I meant to let them lay for 2 years and then put them in the freezer, but I just couldn't bring myself to it. That is why I got the new layers this spring. The Buffs only lay an egg or two per week these days and feeding 19 of them - until recently - seemed wasteful, but I just couldn't bring myself to send them off. Any suggestions on what the issue might be?

 

[chookchick]

3 years is not an old chicken, now if they were 15 years (the way I first read it!) then they would be old. Have you looked them all over carefully for lice or mites, swellings, any discharge at the vent, missing feathers, etc...Could you tell us more about their diet, coop situation, etc..Do they have any unusual droppings? diarrhea? Some of that behavior sounds like molting, but definitely not the tipping over part. Do they get emaciated before dying? Are there any other symptoms at the end? If you lose another one, I would try and get a necropsy done.

 

[atkinsonfive]

After reading through previous posts I am thinking really hard. We changed food in the spring, probably late April...started getting it from the local grain elevator. Could there be a deficiancy? They get lots of house scraps too. I completely clean the floor every few months and sprinkle with Diatemaceous Earth, as well as the nesting boxes. Otherwise, I just scoop out the worst areas occasionally. The differences I see are the feathers being fluffed and the combs being paler than normal. I haven't check the vent. I do notice dirty feathers from poo. Seems to be normal colored, just overly moist. No blood. I should examine the legs more closely? What would I look for? I guess I should have the necropsy, but I think they are about $125 and that is what is holding me back. They have a large indoor area, with 10 nesting boxes and lots of roost space, a covered / mostly enclosed outdoor area and a completely outdoor fenced in area - that as of late has been knee deep in snow. They have a red heating lamp at night. Eat morning and evening. Any ideas?

 

[chickensioux]

Your girls are not too old. My oldest girls are 7 and are very healthy, just don't lay anymore. I would tend to think that you could have a deficiency of some kind but it is strange it's just the orps. I would start some vitamins and electrolytes in their water. You should be able to find that at your feed store. Check for mites, leg mites will cause the scales on the legs to stick out and not lie flat. Lice can cause the pale combs.
Check thoroughly for any sign of an external parasite. I would call around to different facilities, vets, etc. and see of you can get a better price on a necropsy. I hope you won't need one though. Good luck and I hope you figure this one out.

 

[theFox]

Exactly how big are those Orps?

They may be suffering just from being overweight, that means heart attacks for starters, just like meat birds.

 

[atkinsonfive]

Ok, so I have spent the last several weeks observing, if you will. We lost another Buff on the Feb 27th. I am trying to get information from the local veternarian hospital, but no luck yet. Since then everyone seemed healthy active normal. I have looked at legs. I have looked at poo - hard task with 30 + chickens. I have just watched them. All OK. And then yesterday I noticed one with a horridly poopy bottom. She was directly in front of me and pooed a normal color, shape, constistancy poo, but her feather are atrocious. I also noticed her legs seem to have red stripes from foot upward. Some kind of mite? Would this cause a paralysis and only effect one at a time over a course of several months? I see no scabs or anything just the red "stripe". She is acting completely normal otherwise. And mind you just the 3 yr old Buffs are affected - not the 10 month old Isas. Does this make sense? We have completely clean out the coop. Put down DE on floor, in boxes. There was a lot of moisture from the heat light being on all night so we have left that off and the there is no moisture. Also switched to wood shavings from the straw that we were using in case that was part of the issue. I didn't know if bugs could live in the straw and then hatch and bother the chickens. I am giving them the vitamin/electrolytes in their water. They are getting grit, in food and sprinkled out. I am letting them free range today as there is now some bare land instead of snow everywhere. Also, after we lost the one almost 2 weeks ago I threw out the eggs for the previous 10 days and the following week. We have just started using them again. Should I keep throwing them away? Any other thoughts or suggestions? I don't think they are "too" fat for the breed. I mean some of them are really big breasted, but they look healthy. Could a chicken overeat that much? Thanks for any advice. The vet office said there is really no such thing as a chicken doctor, but there are so many people here with valuable experience that some of you should become one. Thanks again!

 

[chookchick]

Observation is the BEST way to figure out what is really going on...Have you ever wormed these birds?, if not, you may want to have a fecal done, or just start them on a program with wazine. I have noticed red in the feet of pale-legged birds on cold days (from increased blood flow), this is completely normal. I think if you had mites, you would see some sign with a close examination of the birds. If you are feeding table scraps, you may want to cut out breads, pastas, rice, etc... as these are very high carb and not nutritious. Also keep all treats, including scratch, to 10 percent or less of their diet. I would be concerned that perhaps they are "too fat", aka fatty liver disease from a high carb diet. Check your vitamin supplement for the maximum length of time to give it. Hopefully now that winter is over, they will do better!
Info on worming:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=213065&p=1

 

[LuvinMyPeeps]

If you've changed their feed from the local "grain bin", is it possible there are any vermin droppings getting into the grain store? I'm thinking poision of some sort due to the falling over...

I know it might be more expensive for 30+ birds, but could you try a Layena or Feed Store brand layer pellet for a few weeks to see if they improve? Perhaps dust them with Sevin, just incase it's mites? Mites can make a chicken have the ragged feathers and anemia, eventually they can die.