Need help identifying what happened to my feed

[Molpet]

I read about something called flowers of sulfur that is good for this mite. Have you heard of it? I'll look into giving him a bath. I'm hesitant to do anything too hands on with him bc he screams in pain. I think his feather loss is painful for him.

flowers of sulfur is another name for elemental sulfur. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HARCM7K/?tag=backy-20
I have a "poofer" I use to dust the birds with sulfur. a plastic ketchup/condiment bottle or turkey baster would work. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LRMN9ZM/?tag=backy-20
I put 1lb of sulfur to 10lbs of what ever dirt/sand I use for a dust bath to help prevent bugs... I poof the coop and birds that can't/don't use the dust bath

 

[mama23]

I'm going to try some of this! Would this be sufficient if he has the depluming mite or is the bath essential to getting rid of it (if he even has it - I'm not sure). He has decreased immunity right now due to fighting mareks (he's still walking but unsteady) so everything seems to be trying to take him over like coccidia and parasites.

 

[Molpet]

I'm going to try some of this! Would this be sufficient if he has the depluming mite or is the bath essential to getting rid of it (if he even has it - I'm not sure). He has decreased immunity right now due to fighting mareks (he's still walking but unsteady) so everything seems to be trying to take him over like coccidia and parasites.

I have never had depluming mites
I have always "poofed"
so i say try it

 

[mama23]

I have never had depluming mites
I have always "poofed"
so i say try it

I know you said you mix this at a ratio of 1:10 for dusting and poofing but I don't have a mix for them to dust bathe in. They just take baths in dirt when the weather cooperates. I think it's rained here almost nonstop for the past year but they occasionally use dirt under the house. Can I use just this straight without mixing? Or will it burn him concentrated? I have zero experience with sulfur.

 

[Molpet]

I know you said you mix this at a ratio of 1:10 for dusting and poofing but I don't have a mix for them to dust bathe in. They just take baths in dirt when the weather cooperates. I think it's rained here almost nonstop for the past year but they occasionally use dirt under the house. Can I use just this straight without mixing? Or will it burn him concentrated? I have zero experience with sulfur.

i poof them with straight sulfur, keep it out of eyes like any dust.. they can eat it.. some people feed it..I think your boy has enough meds interaly ... I put it on me and the dog to keep ticks/chiggers off. doesn't burn. smells though
I sprinkle it and stir it where they make a dust bath..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sulfur-powder-against-lice-mites.613628/

 

[mama23]

Look more like mites, staph infection, or cutaneous mareks?! Hard cyst with yellow serous fluid dried on top. He's extremely tender.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

That could be a feather cyst, but I would still not rule out Marek's unfortunately due to the other symptoms.
You may want to try the sulfur as suggested to see if that makes any difference. Topical applications generally will not kill depluming mites since they burrow down to the base of the feather shaft. From what I understand something that actually is absorbed into the bloodstream like Ivermectin is the standard treatment, but it's worth a shot to try other methods. Especially with him being/has been on other medications for a while. I would worry about overload for sure.

 

[mama23]

That could be a feather cyst, but I would still not rule out Marek's unfortunately due to the other symptoms.
You may want to try the sulfur as suggested to see if that makes any difference. Topical applications generally will not kill depluming mites since they burrow down to the base of the feather shaft. From what I understand something that actually is absorbed into the bloodstream like Ivermectin is the standard treatment, but it's worth a shot to try other methods. Especially with him being/has been on other medications for a while. I would worry about overload for sure.

I was hoping the ivermectin would work. I gave it to him on February 7th and he has not improved. In fact he seems worse. The only pharmaceutical medicines he has been given are ivermectin and the coccidia medication. Otherwise just supplements (poultry cell and vitamins on occasion). I initially dusted him briefly with carbaryl in January before all this stuff started. It wasn't a thorough dusting bc in my experience I usually don't need it. I am convinced the mareks has just weakened him and the mites have taken over. I ordered the sulfur yesterday and just got a shipping notice. Should be here sometime this week. In the meantime I decided to dust him again with the Sevin since he's getting weaker and decreasing appetite. This is a small sampling of all the feathers he lost just during my dusting of him. There were more on me not pictured. I plan to bathe him in the sulfur if no improvement in his symptoms by the time it arrives. Just so it sinks into the feathers better.

 

[mama23]

Also the dosage I used of the ivermectin last week was the pour on ivermectin for cattle. I put it on his neck .15 cc. He weighs 3.5-4 lbs. Been 5 days.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Also the dosage I used of the ivermectin last week was the pour on ivermectin for cattle. I put it on his neck .15 cc. He weighs 3.5-4 lbs. Been 5 days.

The max dose for Pour On Ivermectin is 0.09ml per pound of weight.
So for 3.5lbs that would be 0.32ml given once, then repeat in 14days. 4lbs would be 0.36ml.
It does need to make contact with the skin, back of the neck along the spine.