Itchy Face, Sneeze, Disheveled Feathers, please help me help my girls!

[ZooMummzy]

I spent my 4th of July treating my hens, their coop and runs and today I am going to give them some yogurt. I haven't given them any in awhile so they should swarm me too

They have already been bathing in the treated dirt baths I gave them so I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can beat this problem as well...and keep it prevented from happening again!

 

[PDXModChick]

Just a note... and update... Today when I was at the feed store getting more feed, I found out that they had given me a wrong bag just about the time started to happen, it was not a starter feed that they had been getting the month previous. I suspect that had a lot to do with it. I feel like a jerk not reading the label closer until today.

They just love their morning yogurt, I am still giving to them daily as I have not seen any evidence of it effecting thier droppings. Its actually to the contrary, I forgot to mention some were getting some runny stools before I started the yogurt.

Thank you all so very much for your assistance.

Steph

 

[PDXModChick]

I did the whitewash as well. This weekend I am making some mods on the coop to add additional ventilation as this could be another reason for their sneezing.

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
Oh good ol' The Feed Store Guy is at it again. The bag switcharoo. That's always a lovely one, particularly when you've driven a long way.

I'm so sorry, but glad you caught the mistake now. Funny thing - I'm so hard on The Feed Store Guy, probably because I used to work at a feed store! But I had enough sense to know that if I didn't know about the animals, really know, not to recommend meds or feed. And I always checked bags thoroughly - not only the label, but the condition of the bag - before I loaded a single one.

That's another thing to do. Always watch each bag as they load it. Make sure you see nothing but clean bag - no spiderwebs, no dust (as that means it's been sitting or kept in bad conditions), no beetle holes in the bag (very tiny things), no water stains that have dried up, no discoloration, etc. No taped bags. All these things mean the feed wasn't kept well and thus will probably be in bad nutritional condition.

Also when you get home and open the bag, smell it. It should smell strongly of fresh ingredients. If it smells just dusty or like cardboard, find a store that has a better turn-over of that feed product, or who will order your feed for you even if they don't carry it - so that it comes fresh from the wholesaler.

I've driven out of my way to feedstores to buy a dozen or more bags just to come home and find that I was mis-loaded with the wrong feed. Or I get to the bottom bag and it's water stained and the pellets within obviously had gotten wet (they swell) and dried again.

/sigh

By the way, never take The Feed Store Guy's advice on meds, either. Ask here.

 

[Silkiefan]

I too have noticed that my Silkie was itchy and sneezing, so my dear mommy told me to get some lice powder... I dusted the girl's "dusting area" so that they could thoroughly cover themselves in the powder, but I was concerned that they'd eat the stuff... is this ok? They're dusted, and I'll switch bedding (spoiled girls sleep on blankets) and lightly powder their common areas... so now what?
They can consume the stuff and be ok? ... could someone tell me again which liquid wormer I should buy?

 

[Silkiefan]

how often do we dust for lice?

 

[threehorses]

You dust for lice once,, then again in 7 days. Sprinkle the dust in their bedding shavings too and stir it in. The permethrin poultry dust is pretty safe for use around them. Just don't let it get into their food. After all, they groom it off of themselves in certain amounts.

As for wormers, wazine to start, a broad spectrum wormer to finish. You worm with wazine first as it only kills roundworms and then not many. Then in 2 weeks worm with a more broad spectrum wormer and then use that 2-4 times a year. I prefer two times ayear, and I prefer pour-on ivermectin after the first wazine worming to make sure that my birds' roundworm parasite load is not huge.

Wazine 17 is what to buy - it's pipeazine 17%. For the first worming. It says "don't use in meat and egg birds" but they mean to withdraw eating meat and eggs for 14 days.

 

[PDXModChick]

Thank you! That is fantastic advice. When I was there this morning I made sure to watch close and will continue to do so!

I also ordered the aviaCharge 2000, I should have it by Friday. I also got the duster in case I find lice. I already have the poutry dust so I'll be set.

Thanks again!

Steph

 

[threehorses]

Aviacharge is supposed to be good stuff. I like direct-feed vitamins because light effects vitamin effectiveness and I like nice fresh clean water for the birds. But sometimes you have to have some of the other.

Might as well have a good one!

You're welcome for the advice.

It's what I personally use and have for years having tried a number of other methods.

 

[PDXModChick]

I just thought I'd post a couple pictures of my now healthier birds...

Red bathing herself...

Red just finished shaking off and Brownie came over to help her clean up....

Curly got his name when I realized he was a rooster. His comb was coming in and curved to one side...

Another shot of Curly with some of his ladies in the background...

They have so much more energy every day!