- Jun 28, 2012
- 22
- 0
- 22
So after a recent infectious chicken debacle** I am hyper-alert to anything that might be out of the ordinary.
We have three very spoiled hens who get supervised free range time daily - a great diet. The coop is very clean - as are the run, feeders, and waterers - and I check them closely dailt. They also have access to a diatomaceous earth/ash/soil/sand dust bath which they love. Appetites are great - bright and alert - super social and interactive.
But there are a couple of things that are worrying me (which I would like to stay ahead of) and I'd love tips or a pointer to a reliable easy safe drug dosing and fact sheet. As well as an online order source of any products. There is so much conflicting advice out there that I'm not excited about cherry-picking my strategy through different unrelated threads and then making sense of slightly different products at our farm store. Is there such a fact sheet available? Or do any of you with more chicken health experience have some input to offer for prevention, preparedness, and peace of mind?
1) Lice
One of our girls was debeaked when we got her - and thus cannot preen herself properly in making the most effective use of her dust bath. As such, there is mild presence of lice (just noticed within the week). Since she happens to be our friendliest lap chicken (she'll actually try to settle in and roost on our laps if we're outside at dusk) - we'd really like to help her with something a little stronger than Diatomaceous Earth dustings. However, there isn't anything indicated for chickens at our local feed store (other than DE) - so what could I order and from where? I understand DE is great most of the time - but it's not proving very effective for her - and I'd like to take the next step.
2) Coccidia
Per the fact that our 'lice girl' is a little thinner (but lays every day - great appetite - runs around - alert) - I took her to the vet. Though her droppings are not runny/blood/off , they did a fecal and did find presence of coccidia (not much - but some). Recommended a coccidiastat feed but I'm a bit confused on chicks versus adults and establishing immunity versus being plagued with infection and treatment (Amprolium or one of sulpha-based drugs) versus medicated feed. Help? I've done some digging but most of what I find is in regard to chicks as opposed to laying hens who are otherwise seemingly healthy. I need the specific how much/what/where. She weighs 1.5 kg. Or should I just give medicated chick feed? To my layers?
3a) Gapeworm??
We've noticed occasional yawning/gaping - and after looking through this site I'd like to treat against the possibility (holy cats some of the gapeworm posts are scary... strangled from the inside out... yeesh!). It's not frequent that the yawning occurs - but it does happen - and they do get free range access to lots of tasty bugs and such... How do you know what's normal and what is me being paranoid?
Our vet did look down the throat of our lap chicken - and did not see anything - but told us to keep an eye out for any bubbling or anything. She said they had drugs available but she would have to look up info on how long eggs would need to be withheld and such - so I'm appealing to tips any of you may have.
3b) Other worms?
As for other wormers - I see that some people periodically worm whether symptoms are present or not - but where's a good/safe reference for dosing and what hits what types of worms? And where do you get info on how long to withhold eggs for? And is it better to hit them with a few of these at once - minimizing the time that eggs need to be tossed? Or better so space it out in order not to stress them or cause toxicity?
4) Weight
They get unlimited 18% layer mash - lots of treats (fruits and veggies) - free ranging daily - bugs - some scratch - scrambled eggs and yogurt - free access to oyster shells and grit - and to one of those flock forage cakes. Is there anything else I can do to help my thinner girl gain just a little? She's young - maybe I'm more concerned than I need to be and should just keep patient - but if any of you have ideas... Our vet agreed that she was on the thin side - still healthy - but could stand to gain a bit. We're also keeping an eye on her to be sure she at least is not losing weight.
Our other two layers are looking great (other than one who does do the yawn thing on occasion) but I want to be prepared for anything and everything that I can be. And I think I've hit my internet tab limit for research - so I'm turning to y'all. Thanks for whatever info or resources you have to offer!
I feel like a mother hen!!!
And edited for gratuitous chicken pictures.
Lap chickie (the one with lice) enjoying frozen water bottles on a particularly warm evening.
Our two other girls taking their evening 'bath'.
Note the littlest one who lets the big girl do her work for her - too funny.
**Infectious chicken debacle - we were sold a very infectious hen by an unscrupulous jerk who blatantly lied. And when we contacted her to tell her her flock was likely infected (she was selling them off separately online) - she made clear that she did not give two hoots about infecting other flocks with her sick hens. Thankfully we kept that hen quarantined (euthanized, necropsied, samples sent to the state within days of getting her) - and so we only had to remove six inches deep of soil in half of our yard... (as preventative measure to be CERTAIN our other hens were not put at risk).
We have three very spoiled hens who get supervised free range time daily - a great diet. The coop is very clean - as are the run, feeders, and waterers - and I check them closely dailt. They also have access to a diatomaceous earth/ash/soil/sand dust bath which they love. Appetites are great - bright and alert - super social and interactive.
But there are a couple of things that are worrying me (which I would like to stay ahead of) and I'd love tips or a pointer to a reliable easy safe drug dosing and fact sheet. As well as an online order source of any products. There is so much conflicting advice out there that I'm not excited about cherry-picking my strategy through different unrelated threads and then making sense of slightly different products at our farm store. Is there such a fact sheet available? Or do any of you with more chicken health experience have some input to offer for prevention, preparedness, and peace of mind?
1) Lice
One of our girls was debeaked when we got her - and thus cannot preen herself properly in making the most effective use of her dust bath. As such, there is mild presence of lice (just noticed within the week). Since she happens to be our friendliest lap chicken (she'll actually try to settle in and roost on our laps if we're outside at dusk) - we'd really like to help her with something a little stronger than Diatomaceous Earth dustings. However, there isn't anything indicated for chickens at our local feed store (other than DE) - so what could I order and from where? I understand DE is great most of the time - but it's not proving very effective for her - and I'd like to take the next step.
2) Coccidia
Per the fact that our 'lice girl' is a little thinner (but lays every day - great appetite - runs around - alert) - I took her to the vet. Though her droppings are not runny/blood/off , they did a fecal and did find presence of coccidia (not much - but some). Recommended a coccidiastat feed but I'm a bit confused on chicks versus adults and establishing immunity versus being plagued with infection and treatment (Amprolium or one of sulpha-based drugs) versus medicated feed. Help? I've done some digging but most of what I find is in regard to chicks as opposed to laying hens who are otherwise seemingly healthy. I need the specific how much/what/where. She weighs 1.5 kg. Or should I just give medicated chick feed? To my layers?
3a) Gapeworm??
We've noticed occasional yawning/gaping - and after looking through this site I'd like to treat against the possibility (holy cats some of the gapeworm posts are scary... strangled from the inside out... yeesh!). It's not frequent that the yawning occurs - but it does happen - and they do get free range access to lots of tasty bugs and such... How do you know what's normal and what is me being paranoid?
3b) Other worms?
As for other wormers - I see that some people periodically worm whether symptoms are present or not - but where's a good/safe reference for dosing and what hits what types of worms? And where do you get info on how long to withhold eggs for? And is it better to hit them with a few of these at once - minimizing the time that eggs need to be tossed? Or better so space it out in order not to stress them or cause toxicity?
4) Weight
They get unlimited 18% layer mash - lots of treats (fruits and veggies) - free ranging daily - bugs - some scratch - scrambled eggs and yogurt - free access to oyster shells and grit - and to one of those flock forage cakes. Is there anything else I can do to help my thinner girl gain just a little? She's young - maybe I'm more concerned than I need to be and should just keep patient - but if any of you have ideas... Our vet agreed that she was on the thin side - still healthy - but could stand to gain a bit. We're also keeping an eye on her to be sure she at least is not losing weight.
Our other two layers are looking great (other than one who does do the yawn thing on occasion) but I want to be prepared for anything and everything that I can be. And I think I've hit my internet tab limit for research - so I'm turning to y'all. Thanks for whatever info or resources you have to offer!
I feel like a mother hen!!!
And edited for gratuitous chicken pictures.
Lap chickie (the one with lice) enjoying frozen water bottles on a particularly warm evening.
Our two other girls taking their evening 'bath'.
Note the littlest one who lets the big girl do her work for her - too funny.
**Infectious chicken debacle - we were sold a very infectious hen by an unscrupulous jerk who blatantly lied. And when we contacted her to tell her her flock was likely infected (she was selling them off separately online) - she made clear that she did not give two hoots about infecting other flocks with her sick hens. Thankfully we kept that hen quarantined (euthanized, necropsied, samples sent to the state within days of getting her) - and so we only had to remove six inches deep of soil in half of our yard... (as preventative measure to be CERTAIN our other hens were not put at risk).
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