Mites!!!

[pixiechick]

My silkie has acted funny for the past few days. I was afraid my bigger chickens had been picking on her because we've had bad weather and they've had to stay in their run a lot more. This morning, she didn't come out when I opened the door and I found her laying on the coop floor. I scooped her up and brought her in thinking they had pecked her or something. When I looked down, my hands were crawling with mites!

Mom went to the co-op and got some dust for poultry mites that we put on her, and we fed her some sugar water, but I don't know if she is going to make it. I haven't payed much attention to my chook this past month because I just delivered my first baby. Now, I feel so guilty!

So, I'm sure my whole coop is infested, as well as my three other hens. I'm wondering if the silkie was affected worse because she doesn't sleep on the roost. She sleeps in the pine chips. We've had a few very cold nights, and I bet the mites have swarmed her. What do you all think? I've got a brand new baby and a husband who won't be home before dark anytime this week. Any suggestions on how to treat this?

 

[emys]

Keep her warm! She can't fly, so cardboard box in any room will be safe for her as long as no cats, dogs can reach her.

Get a tray of fresh ground beef and drain the blood off the bottom for her. Put in a glass bowl and microwave on low for a short time. You just want to cook it a little - it will look light brown when done. Mix this with a little warm water and some chicken mash about half coked blood and half mash.

Keep fresh food and water with her and watch her for a few days - she should recover.

 

[pixiechick]

I really think she is too far gone. The sugar water we tried to give her just ran back out of her mouth. She alive still, but feels sort of stiff.

What can I do about my coop and other birds? I'll dust them and the coop floor, but I feel like they must be everywhere.

 

[emys]

Do just as you said, but add a dusting box with dusting powder and either sand, or peat moss so the birds can re-apply the stuff as needed. They will use the box as needed. Keep it filled for the next few weeks.

Have you tried heating pad, room temp is not enough. I'm so sorry she may not make it, you may have found her too late.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

This is just what I would do for her - if she is badly infested, I would bathe her with dawn dish soap. Dawn will kill the live mites, blow dry her on low/warm, and keep her in the house for a day or two until she started to perk up. The sooner she is rid of the blood suckers the sooner she can recover.

Your coop and other birds will need to be cleaned and dusted. I believe you have to do this a couple times to kill the adults plus any eggs that hatch.

Poor girl. Do you have any liver? You can chop it up - raw - and offer to her after her bath.

 

[emys]

You might also try a warm bath - NOT HOT, but you must keep her from being chilled afterward if she revives. This means blow dryer on low.

 

[pixiechick]

It is supposed to get down to 17 degrees tonight. Is there any chance that it will freeze the mites out?

 

[emys]

You need to treat the coop. It shouldn't be -17 inside your coop, and there will be some on your birds, and they will not be -17 degrees either. Its no fun, but it needs to be done. If you are worried about exposing you or the baby, is there a neighbor or someone else who could be bribed to help you with it?

 

[pixiechick]

The heat is helping! She is a little perkier and holding her head up for the first time today! She can't peck yet, but we squirted some cooked blood liver (uh . . . yummy?) down her. Maybe there's hope after all. I went and dusted the coop and run pretty well. We have really high winds today so I'm not going to get too deep into that job now. I couldn't catch the chickens who are out free-ranging, but I made them a new dust box with sand and some of the might stuff. That's going to have to do until the weather breaks. Thanks for everyones help. Any other suggestions for my little silkie?

 

[emys]

So glad to hear she is coming around!!

and plenty of fresh water.

Keep making sure she eats well. After she seems fine and healthy again, gradually get let her sleep in cooler place each day before putting her back out with other birds.