Grrrrrrain mites

[raeleigh26]

Got my usual feed for the flock and chicks.
the chick feed is kept in the house next to the brooder and bater, so you can imagine my horror when I pulled my arm out of the bag covered in grain mites.
Let's skip the screaming, bleaching, heeby jeeby frenzy and go straight to the point:

I returned the feed, they offered exchange, but every bag there was infested.
I went to the other feed store, explained my problem to the guy who loads it (he knows me, I'm a regular, but don't typically buy chicken feed there as they only carry Purina and another equally expensive brand. I figured he'd maybe choose carefully.)
I inspected a couple bags, seemed ok... hard to tell though with dust everywhere.

Got it home, the chick starter seems ok or at least not bugged enough to tell easily. But the layer crumbles is powdery. (It's in the shop this time)

I have no other options for feed. Not without a 45 minute drive, and the likelihood that it'll be the same story is infuriating.

I don't have room in my freezer.
I'm concerned about nutrition because I'm hatching these eggs.

I've lost 2 of the 5 chicks I helped hatch after the incubator disaster, and they'd seemed fine yesterday, but now another of them isn't acting right. The last 2 seem ok.
Could be infection, too much stress, idk, but if it wasn't just the 5 I had to save in hatching it'd be too coincidental with the feed change.

I think I'm just venting.... but if anyone has any suggestions I'd appreciate it.

Rather frustrated this week. To add another topic category to this lengthy post, had a bite on my chicks, 30 minutes of questions, asked if they could come see them, said yes....... then crickets.

Augh.

Oh, and another even! Did you know they don't sell any kind of chicken dewormer or pour on ivermectin in my town? The only thing for mites & lice is powdered permethrin. I'm not looking forward to bagging some 40 chickens!

 

[Kiki]

Your current chicks...what temp is your brooder at?

 

[raeleigh26]

Your current chicks...what temp is your brooder at?

I'm using a weather thermometer to measure heat/ humidity. Same one I double check incubator levels with.
Currently reads 93*, 54%.

I thought of that, but they're evenly dispersed, running around. Room to move further from the heat lamp or closer to. Water is room temp.
This is how I know the one isn't right. Sleeping. Chirps now and then, breathing a little faster, almost not noticeably faster. I've got nothing on hand to give it to even try to help. If it makes it to morning, i can get some chick saver and electrolytes.

Lost a lot of my babies this week.

 

[Kiki]

I'm using a weather thermometer to measure heat/ humidity. Same one I double check incubator levels with.
Currently reads 93*, 54%.

I thought of that, but they're evenly dispersed, running around. Room to move further from the heat lamp or closer to. Water is room temp.
This is how I know the one isn't right. Sleeping. Chirps now and then, breathing a little faster, almost not noticeably faster. I've got nothing on hand to give it to even try to help. If it makes it to morning, i can get some chick saver and electrolytes.

Lost a lot of my babies this week.

Can you lower the temp some?
93 is on the hot side.

 

[raeleigh26]

Can you lower the temp some?
93 is on the hot side.

They're only 4 and 1 days old... temp at that age is 90-95... I move it back every week till they're feathered.

*I think the ones I helped hatch are just too weak... or caught something in the hours it took to get them hatched. They were in and out , wetted down several times, after who knows how cold they got before I noticed the incubator quit. (Different post, but 16 of them died from the cold. Miracle 6 were alive when I found them, 1 didn't pip) Kept my hands washed so much my skin is cracked, but, just wasn't enough I guess.

-I've never switched feeds on them..... could that have an effect?

-should I get some vitamins tomorrow?

 

[Kiki]

They're only 4 and 1 days old... temp at that age is 90-95... I move it back every week till they're feathered.

*I think the ones I helped hatch are just too weak... or caught something in the hours it took to get them hatched. They were in and out , wetted down several times, after who knows how cold they got before I noticed the incubator quit. (Different post, but 16 of them died from the cold. Miracle 6 were alive when I found them, 1 didn't pip) Kept my hands washed so much my skin is cracked, but, just wasn't enough I guess.

-I've never switched feeds on them..... could that have an effect?

-should I get some vitamins tomorrow?

Switching feeds shouldn't be a problem.
Vitamins may help...they won't hurt.

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry!
Incubator disasters have happened here a couple of times, and I just gave up on having one here. I hope things go better with your babies!
Do you check the mill date on each bag of feed before buying it? I want it within a month, so it gets used up by six to eight weeks from the mill date. Fresh feed is much better, and less likely to be infested. Yuck!
Mary

 

[raeleigh26]

So sorry!
Incubator disasters have happened here a couple of times, and I just gave up on having one here. I hope things go better with your babies!
Do you check the mill date on each bag of feed before buying it? I want it within a month, so it gets used up by six to eight weeks from the mill date. Fresh feed is much better, and less likely to be infested. Yuck!
Mary

That's a very good point, I didn't think to check dates!

Where I normally buy, they're stocked weekly, don't sit long. At this place, they go to the back and bring whatever bag was on top. You know.

I'm going to the next town over tomorrow. Hopefully I'll find clean feed there.

 

[Wicked Storm]

Got my usual feed for the flock and chicks.
the chick feed is kept in the house next to the brooder and bater, so you can imagine my horror when I pulled my arm out of the bag covered in grain mites.
Let's skip the screaming, bleaching, heeby jeeby frenzy and go straight to the point:

I returned the feed, they offered exchange, but every bag there was infested.
I went to the other feed store, explained my problem to the guy who loads it (he knows me, I'm a regular, but don't typically buy chicken feed there as they only carry Purina and another equally expensive brand. I figured he'd maybe choose carefully.)
I inspected a couple bags, seemed ok... hard to tell though with dust everywhere.

Got it home, the chick starter seems ok or at least not bugged enough to tell easily. But the layer crumbles is powdery. (It's in the shop this time)

I have no other options for feed. Not without a 45 minute drive, and the likelihood that it'll be the same story is infuriating.

I don't have room in my freezer.
I'm concerned about nutrition because I'm hatching these eggs.

I've lost 2 of the 5 chicks I helped hatch after the incubator disaster, and they'd seemed fine yesterday, but now another of them isn't acting right. The last 2 seem ok.
Could be infection, too much stress, idk, but if it wasn't just the 5 I had to save in hatching it'd be too coincidental with the feed change.

I think I'm just venting.... but if anyone has any suggestions I'd appreciate it.

Rather frustrated this week. To add another topic category to this lengthy post, had a bite on my chicks, 30 minutes of questions, asked if they could come see them, said yes....... then crickets.

Augh.

Oh, and another even! Did you know they don't sell any kind of chicken dewormer or pour on ivermectin in my town? The only thing for mites & lice is powdered permethrin. I'm not looking forward to bagging some 40 chickens!

Oh my gosh! I've actually had mites get into my feed before, luckily not all the bags were like that. I can also understand the long drive, same here. Sorry for all the losses : They could have caught a cold or something from the incubator disaster. The best thing you can do is keep trying anything and everything and don't give up!

 

[Folly's place]

Where I usually buy feed, dates can be up to six months old on some feed sometimes. The store people say that it's still good. NOT SO!
Mary