I think red mite killed my broody

[Rennie]

My broody has been on her nest for about 5 or 6 days now, Today when i checked on her she seem very lifeless, she is still alve but barely, In the corner of the nest box i noticed some little red mites, Im assuming they are red mite and after doing some reading on the internet Ive found that they feed on resting birds,


Is there anything i can do for her to bring her back to full health or is she doomed ? .I have removed her from the nest box which i plan to thoroughly clean very soon


She is currently in a cardboard box with some new bedding and scrambled eggs but she really dosent look like she will last much longer

 

[slackwater]

I have no idea...but I'm very sorry

 

[CMV]

She needs to be treated with an insecticide ASAP. Mites will kill a relatively healthy bird before you know it, so a broody is so much more susceptible to dying from their onslaught.

 

[organicfoltzfamilyfarm]

There are a lot of different mites that are red. Could they have been Spider mites or the Predatory Mites (which don't harm chickens)?

I don't know but ours always have Spider mites and Predatory mites in it because it's under trees.

I would just some DE and make sure that she is drinking fluids. Does she have any signs that mites have been feasting on her?

 

[ranchhand]

Has she been getting off the nest to eat and drink? I have some who have to be forcibly ejected daily or they waste away. It's a possibility, besides the mites. Best of luck to you and her!

 

[Rennie]

Im pretty sure they are red mite, They are under her wings and when i just cleaned the nest box out there were thousands of them,

Ive just bathed her with some flea shampoo and put vaseline on her comb, legs and under her wings and Im trying to make her drink as much as possible, She is willing to drink but she cant do it by herself, she swallows when i put the liquid near her beak, She is still in the box with her eyes closed looking really sad at the minute and keeps shaking as if she was cold, She as also lost a fair bit of weight overnight too,

Yesterday she came off the nest box for a few hours to eat and drink and i forced her back onto it because she was reluctant to go back on, Now i know why


Fingers crossed ive done all i can for her ..I guess all I can do now is wait and see what happens,





Just my luck to get the broody chicken ive been wanting and this happens ...

 

[ruth]

The mites will literally suck them to death. Combined with being broody and possibly not getting off the nest to eat/drink, the mites have been draining her blood. If you have PolyViSol you can give her some drops of that (it's liquid baby vitamins) but I have great success with crushing a B vitamin, add a Vit. E if you have it, and just enough water to make it liquid and drop it by dropper full in front of bottom beak (carefully open her beak and just put a drop in front) if she can't drink on her own. I also have liquid iron and in cases of anemia, like this, add a drop of that as well. So, if you can, get some Vit. B and some iron in her ASAP. Then when she's able to eat try scrambled egg - lots of protein and vitamins in it. I often force feed them to get food in them ASAP. Same thing, gently open beak and put a small piece of scrambled egg in. They will almost always eat it once it's in their beak.

Best of luck.

 

[Rennie]

Ive been giving her water with garlic because of the vitamins (iron and vitamin b) in the garlic, ..Its time i went to check her again and see if she is any better,

I made her some scrambled eggs when i first found her this morning but she hasnt touched it, I may have to try and force some down her,



Here goes

Update
Still alive and drinking a little better, still not opening her eyes much although she did turn to look at me when i went into her.still unable to stand up, and it seems that the mite have dissapeared since putting the vaseline on


Still praying she recovers

 

[ruth]

I'm glad she's still alive but she needs stronger vitamins than garlic right now. If you have any iron pills or at least a Vit. B pill, crush it up and get it down her. Not a whole iron pill, maybe half, but a whole Vit. B.

 

[Rennie]

I dont have either at the minute, Tommorow I can get some and hopefully she will still be around for me to give them to her,

At the minute im just doing what i can with what i have