Lethargic chicken w/ diarrhea, lost weight, small bugs (+photos)

[Trux]

Believe it or not they can also get bed bugs which surprised the heck out of me. Also check your local TSC if you have one

 

[AccidentalChickenLady]

Well, THAT is terrifying, @Trux! I had to deal with a bedbug infestation when I lived in Los Angeles, so I remember those evil creatures well. I will say that the bugs I've found on Raven do NOT look like the bedbugs I've seen, which were rounder and darker in color compared to the oblong, translucent creatures I'm finding on her. I was also under the (perhaps false?) impression that we don't really get bedbugs here in Colorado, especially not so late in the year, when temps have barely been above 30 degrees Fahrenheit for the past several weeks.

 

[Eggcessive]

Permethrin spray or the dust is good to use. Usually, they need to be treated at 10 day intervals for lice and the eggs that hatch. With the spray, it may have a residual action. The coop bedding and nests have to be emptied, sprayed with permethrin, and new bedding added. Don’t forget to spray the roosts, too.

Here are two good links with info and pictures of lice and mites:
https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8162.pdf

https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

 

[AccidentalChickenLady]

Thank you so much, @Eggcessive! I came across both those pages in my research today (so much for productivity at work!)... I'm still thinking it's lice.

A supplemental question: Should I pick up something like Nutri-Drench to help Raven regain some of her strength, or will raw egg do that? I mostly see Nutri-Drench discussed for chicks, not adult hens, and I've seen some folks note that it has a side effect of diarrhea, which Raven is already battling, so I don't want to exacerbate that condition. She has periodically expressed interest in food, but only maybe two bites at a time, once a day (or sometimes less), so I just want to get some calories in her...

 

[FishMtFarm]

Thank you so much, @Eggcessive! I came across both those pages in my research today (so much for productivity at work!)... I'm still thinking it's lice.

A supplemental question: Should I pick up something like Nutri-Drench to help Raven regain some of her strength, or will raw egg do that? I mostly see Nutri-Drench discussed for chicks, not adult hens, and I've seen some folks note that it has a side effect of diarrhea, which Raven is already battling, so I don't want to exacerbate that condition. She has periodically expressed interest in food, but only maybe two bites at a time, once a day (or sometimes less), so I just want to get some calories in her...

I would get some poultry cell by rooster booster as it has iron in it which will help rebuild blood from those little blood suckers. Also has other vitamins and minerals and is just awesome stuff.

 

[silkiemother]

will she eat mealworms? they are a chickens favorite food and sometimes, when my hens need a boost, I will cook some oatmeal,add some herbs:sage,cinnamon(just a pinch)and basil,add little bit cheese,and mix some mealworms in. they love it, maybe she will eat a bit of that, or if you want, create your own combo with grapes or other foods that theiy can have.hope they pull through and I will keep you and your hens in my thoughts!

 

[Eggcessive]

Lice do not usually make chickens anemic as mites would do. Poultry NutriDrench and Poultry Cell are pretty much the same, except that PC has riboflavin and ND does not.

 

[AccidentalChickenLady]

Well, I just got home it discover that Raven died while I was at work. This sucks.

I will still treat the rest of the flock and the coop with the permethrin spray as soon as possible, probably this weekend.

Thank you, all, for your help here identifying the issues.

 

[flowerfaeiry]

I would use ivermectin on the bird and permethrin in the coop. The ivermectin will kill the bugs within a few hours and will keep killing any more that get on her. It will also kill any worms, as they have a way of taking over when the bird is stressed as she is from the lice. You will see her improving within days.

 

[Eggcessive]

Oh, I am so sorry that you lost her. From her symptoms orignally, I think that she could have possibly been weak from being kept from food and water by her low pecking order. The other possibility could be Mareks disease. So I would get a necropsy by your state vet, just to rule it out, and check to see if it was coccidiosis or something unknown. Here is a link that has contact info for most state vets and contact info:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm