major mite infestation-need help

[HSerChickLady]

Fronline Plus knocked out a mites/lice problem for us within a day or two. We gave each of our large hens 3 drops directly on the skin on the back of their necks.

I might give it a try. I am not a fan of the dust from the Seven. I covered my face and could still taste it so I know I was getting it myself.

 

[HSerChickLady]

Vet called last night and the postmortem was clean. All organs looked good except she was very thin. May have been the bugs or her lack of mobility. Many days she hardly ate but we assumed it was because the cold weather was bothering her crippled leg. Vet said either or even both were very possible. The bugs she said were "soft ticks" but they don't fit the description of such in my book. The vet said it's the same treatment no matter so we will keep up with the dusting I guess.

Hubby is getting me sand and poultry powder for dusting boxes today. I've never given them dusting boxes so I am really hoping they use them. Then we're hoping we can get enough warm weather to get the coops cleaned out. It's been so cold and we got 2 snow storms this past week so a lot of stuff is frozen to the coop floor and there's too much snow still to get the 3 wheeler and wagon to the coops to empty them out. A wheelbarrow isn't even an option at this point. Tomorrow and Saturday are supposed to be in the 40's again so hopefully Saturday we can get things cleaned before the next wave of cold hits early next week. For now the dusting is better than doing nothing at least. And spring should get here before too long so we can really kick some bug behinds.

 

[Eggcessive]

Vet called last night and the postmortem was clean. All organs looked good except she was very thin. May have been the bugs or her lack of mobility. Many days she hardly ate but we assumed it was because the cold weather was bothering her crippled leg. Vet said either or even both were very possible. The bugs she said were "soft ticks" but they don't fit the description of such in my book. The vet said it's the same treatment no matter so we will keep up with the dusting I guess.

Hubby is getting me sand and poultry powder for dusting boxes today. I've never given them dusting boxes so I am really hoping they use them. Then we're hoping we can get enough warm weather to get the coops cleaned out. It's been so cold and we got 2 snow storms this past week so a lot of stuff is frozen to the coop floor and there's too much snow still to get the 3 wheeler and wagon to the coops to empty them out. A wheelbarrow isn't even an option at this point. Tomorrow and Saturday are supposed to be in the 40's again so hopefully Saturday we can get things cleaned before the next wave of cold hits early next week. For now the dusting is better than doing nothing at least. And spring should get here before too long so we can really kick some bug behinds.

Since fowl ticks may have been a problem, I would wonder about spirochetosis (also called brachyspira) being a possible cause of death in your hens. It is spread by fowl ticks. Frothy brown stools, leg weakness, decrease in laying, and lethargy are some of the symptoms. Here are some links: http://www.developmentvet.aun.edu.eg/poultry diseases fourth year/ch1_15.htm
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1255/spirochaetosis-brachyspira

 

[HSerChickLady]

Possibly. That coop in particular has had a lot of issues looking back that we took as being weather related. It has been such a severe winter here and it's been very hard on many of the animals around these parts. I have a few friends whose chickens were also showing similar issues and we're all very far apart and have different styles of caring for our birds. So we all attributed it to the weather. Also the one link referenced how the internal organs would be affected and the vet said this hens organs all looked perfectly fine (also no lung lesions when she checked). I will keep track now for any of the other symptoms and mention it to the vet if I see them so we can get meds.

 

[vonchick]

I too was looking for an alternative to the dust, and when I read that vets in the UK prescribe Frontline Plus, that was enough for me. And it works like a charm!
.

 

[HSerChickLady]

I too was looking for an alternative to the dust, and when I read that vets in the UK prescribe Frontline Plus, that was enough for me. And it works like a charm!
.

I just might get some tomorrow. The store my hubby stopped at didn't have the poultry dust. So when I go to TSC tomorrow I may just grab the Frontline and give it a whirl.

 

[chicken farmer8]

how are you chickens doing today?

 

[TheEggCollecter]

Totally strip the coop, dust the hens, and completely cover the coop with DE. Make sure you get every crack and crevice!