Freezing weather, dying chicken, mites

[Wyorp Rock]

Since there are so many of them, maybe you (or the kid) can take a piece of tape and start catching the mites from the crate. Just stick the tape to the mites, continue until the tape is full, then throw the tape away. You could put mite-covered tape into a tightly-closed bag or jar before throwing it away, if you want to be extra-sure of those particular mites staying gone (especially if you already have an empty jar that needs throwing out.)

I would not expect to get ALL the mites that way, but catching a bunch of the visible ones might make you (or the kid) feel like something is being done.

Good idea!

@Farmerbetsy I would be sort of freaked out too, I think anybody would be.
If she's in sad shape, moving her to a colder room is going to be harder on her. Do you have a way to safely offer her some heat if you did move her? Space heater, heating pad, heat lamp, etc.?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Rosemary, you are my new best friend.
Now that we have treated her, should we a) put her back in the coop b) put her in the garage even though it's 30 degrees out there c) keep her in the mudroom even though it's next to our pantry, and all of our shoes and winter clothes.

Hmm, that's tricky. I don't bring in sick birds. I don't even bring chicks into the house for a single minute. So if this was my bird she'd stay out, though in an isolation unit like a cage or crate inside the coop, so that she at least stays out of the elements.

At the same time, because it's unusually cold for the area and she's not doing well, the cold may be hard on her. And she's already been inside so the mites are technically already in the mud room at this point. So I can't blame you if you want to keep her in for a couple of days until it warms up a little more, which is should this weekend.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Permit me to jump in with a little word of caution. Do NOT use fly-catching sticky tape like the kind you hang from the ceiling. You don't want anything that sticky anywhere near a chicken or really, any animal you don't intend to destroy, IMO. Likewise those sticky traps you put on the floor along walls to trap roaches and/or mice. Only use tape you have control of around your fingers as described above.

 

[NatJ]

Permit me to jump in with a little word of caution. Do NOT use fly-catching sticky tape like the kind you hang from the ceiling. You don't want anything that sticky anywhere near a chicken or really, any animal you don't intend to destroy, IMO. Likewise those sticky traps you put on the floor along walls to trap roaches and/or mice. Only use tape you have control of around your fingers as described above.

Yes, that's a very good point.

Those things are dangerous to people, too: I know someone who cut about a foot off their hair because she couldn't think of any other way to get the fly strip off (she was NOT happy!)

 

[Farmerbetsy]

Sad chicken
I've never tried inserting a video before so I'm hoping this works.
Lucy has not stood up since we brought her in 36 hours ago. To my knowledge she has not pooped. She has had a few sips of water and a few bites of cat food. Plus the poultry drench.
Am I being cruel in prolonging her agony, or is it worth trying to save her?
There is NO way I could get her to a poultry vet even if such a thing existed anywhere near me.
What are my options? every time we have had to cull a chicken someone else has done it for us.

 

[linguini]

Well, the local farm supply store doesn't carry it, it won't get here from Amazon until the 4th. I don't know what else to do.

did you try chewy.com? they ship 1-3 days quite reliably

 

[Farmerbetsy]

did you try chewy.com? they ship 1-3 days quite reliably

I got some from a kind neighbor yesterday and gave her her first dose.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Sad chicken
I've never tried inserting a video before so I'm hoping this works.
Lucy has not stood up since we brought her in 36 hours ago. To my knowledge she has not pooped. She has had a few sips of water and a few bites of cat food. Plus the poultry drench.
Am I being cruel in prolonging her agony, or is it worth trying to save her?
There is NO way I could get her to a poultry vet even if such a thing existed anywhere near me.
What are my options? every time we have had to cull a chicken someone else has done it for us.

Yeah she definitely doesn't feel well, and the fact that she's not really wanting to eat isn't helping. With the Nutri-Drench, are you giving it to her at full strength? How many times a day?

Hard to say if you should cull, asI know everyone feels differently about it. But what I'd do is set a hard deadline to show some improvement, and if she doesn't, then I'd cull her. In the meantime either begin looking up instructions on how to cull (I've done the broomstick method) and gather any tools you might need for it, or if there's someone nearby who has done it for you before, give them some advance notice that you might need their help soon.

 

[Farmerbetsy]

Yeah she definitely doesn't feel well, and the fact that she's not really wanting to eat isn't helping. With the Nutri-Drench, are you giving it to her at full strength? How many times a day?

Hard to say if you should cull, asI know everyone feels differently about it. But what I'd do is set a hard deadline to show some improvement, and if she doesn't, then I'd cull her. In the meantime either begin looking up instructions on how to cull (I've done the broomstick method) and gather any tools you might need for it, or if there's someone nearby who has done it for you before, give them some advance notice that you might need their help soon.

We gave her one dose, full strength, yesterday. She is not eating at all today but will sip a little bit of water if we insist on it.
I've broken the necks of songbirds who were attacked by dogs and it's just horrifying. I might have to put on my big girl panties and do it, though.

 

[rosemarythyme]

We gave her one dose, full strength, yesterday. She is not eating at all today but will sip a little bit of water if we insist on it.
I've broken the necks of songbirds who were attacked by dogs and it's just horrifying. I might have to put on my big girl panties and do it, though.

I would give her smaller doses, undiluted, through the day, like every few hours while you're awake. And continue offering water and anything that she might be willing to eat.

When I have to cull a bird I just bite my lip and do it. It's never easy especially when you've been trying to nurse them for a while and hoping they'll get better. I tell myself I'm doing it for their sake so get it done thoroughly and as quickly and humanely as possible. I can always cry afterwards (and I do) but in the moment, I want to make sure I get it done right.