New hens look disheveled

[arazla]

I just brought four new hens home. It seem like they need some TLC. It was chaotic at the breeders and hard to get a good look at them before purchasing since the breeder had to chase them around with a net. Everyone seems to have dirty butts and bare patches of skin here and there. I am assuming I should just go ahead and treat for mites, lice, and worms all at once? Or do you do this progressively? Since they are not socialized, I also don’t want to re-traumatize them by trying to catch them. I am wondering if it’s OK just to spray them with the poultry spray from behind or do I really have to get in there?
Also, is this possibly event greet? It’s Lavender Orpington.

 

[nuthatched]

Keep them far away from your birds if you haven't.
I'd let them calm down for a few days then dose them.

 

[arazla]

Unfortunately, we don’t have a super isolated area so they are in a wire pen but the other chickens have been roaming around when they’re free ranging. Do you think mites would hop across? I just managed to pick up one of the lavenders and I can see red mites around the bottom. I cut some feathers and went ahead and sprayed her and the other lavender.

 

[nuthatched]

Unfortunately, we don’t have a super isolated area so they are in a wire pen but the other chickens have been roaming around when they’re free ranging. Do you think mites would hop across? I just managed to pick up one of the lavenders and I can see red mites around the bottom. I cut some feathers and went ahead and sprayed her and the other lavender.

Without doubt. Unfortunately, also any disease the new birds have can be passed with close proximity.
Ideally, they just be kept in quarantine for atleast a month, but I think thr only thing you can do now is seperate them much as possible and hope for the best.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I am assuming I should just go ahead and treat for mites, lice, and worms all at once? Or do you do this progressively? Since they are not socialized, I also don’t want to re-traumatize them by trying to catch them. I am wondering if it’s OK just to spray them with the poultry spray from behind or do I really have to get in there?

I just managed to pick up one of the lavenders and I can see red mites around the bottom. I cut some feathers and went ahead and sprayed her and the other lavender.

Since you are seeing red mites, yes, I would spray or dust them with Permethrin making sure it gets down to the skin.
I personally like using dust for the birds and spray for housing. I put the dust in sock, then use it like a powder puff to tap over the feathers then work the dust through the feathers all the way to the skin. Since you have an infestation, repeat in 5 day intervals.

Worming them would be a good idea too. Fenbendazole (Safeguard) or Albendazole (Valbazen) can be used to treat for worms.

To treat most worms that poultry can have except for Tapeworm - Safeguard dose is 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days in a row.
OR
Valbazen dose is 0.08ml per pound of weight given orally once, then repeated in 10 days.

See that they are eating and drinking well. Since they have mites, getting some poultry vitamins into them a few times a week may be of benefit too.

 

[arazla]

Since you are seeing red mites, yes, I would spray or dust them with Permethrin making sure it gets down to the skin.
I personally like using dust for the birds and spray for housing. I put the dust in sock, then use it like a powder puff to tap over the feathers then work the dust through the feathers all the way to the skin. Since you have an infestation, repeat in 5 day intervals.

Worming them would be a good idea too. Fenbendazole (Safeguard) or Albendazole (Valbazen) can be used to treat for worms.

To treat most worms that poultry can have except for Tapeworm - Safeguard dose is 0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days in a row.
OR
Valbazen dose is 0.08ml per pound of weight given orally once, then repeated in 10 days.

See that they are eating and drinking well. Since they have mites, getting some poultry vitamins into them a few times a week may be of benefit too.

Thank you that is very helpful. I was looking at the safeguard at Tractor Supply but was worried I wouldn't know what dose to give to chickens and wasn't finding it quickly. I used poultry protector I got at Tractor Supply on the two lavenders yesterday. Do you know anything about whether this is also effective? https://www.amazon.com/Manna-Pro-0502035355-Protector-16-Ounce/dp/B000HHLR3A
With the 4 we brought home, we also have a Barred rock who is not terribly hard to catch and pick up, and an Azure Blue who is near impossible. I thought I'd let them settle for a couple days like Nuthatched said and try to get them too. We put nutridrench in their water and I even made up some magic water, so we're trying to give them as much immune support as possible. Since I'm seeing some bare skin, I'm concerned about possible internal infections if there's been long-term parasites. Wondering if a vet call is in order, but it's very expensive here because there are no poultry vets nearby. However, the breeder told me that they received all possible vaccinations, so if he's honest, I'm guessing there's little likelihood of Cocidosis. I was thinking I had learned my lesson and should just buy hens and not a straight run since I'm new at this and ended up with 50% roosters. But now I see the value in raising them yourselves. My hand raised chickens are lush and phosphorescent.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Since you are actually seeing mites on them, I'd get some Permethrin poultry dust or spray and use those instead of the Poultry Protector. You want to knock the infestation down quickly since mites greatly affect their health. Poultry Protector may be a good thing to use as maintenance once you rid the birds of the bugs.

The 2 products below are usually found at TSC. I like to have both, I dust birds and mix up the spray to treat housing, nesting boxes, etc. (larger areas/hard surfaces/nooks/crannies).

The bare areas may just be from feather picking or the birds picking at themselves due to the mites.

A vet would not likely have any vaccines for poultry, they come in quite large quanities and are usually administered at hatch. I don't vaccinate my birds at all, but some do, there's pros cons to everything.

If you worry about Coccidiosis, then wait until they've been exposed to your property/ground for about 4-5 days, then treat them with Corid. This should take care of any issues with that. It's probably a good idea to treat, since mites can weaken them which allows for opportunistic parasites to take better hold.

I'd get on the mites asap, see that they are eating/drinking well, a little extra protein may be helpful (egg, fish, meat) or you can provide chick starter (non medicated) or an all flock feed that is 18-20% protein.
Deworm them and treat for Coccidiosis.

You're doing fine, we all have our ups and downs, lots of things to learn...still learning and always will be.

 

[arazla]

Since you are actually seeing mites on them, I'd get some Permethrin poultry dust or spray and use those instead of the Poultry Protector. You want to knock the infestation down quickly since mites greatly affect their health. Poultry Protector may be a good thing to use as maintenance once you rid the birds of the bugs.

The 2 products below are usually found at TSC. I like to have both, I dust birds and mix up the spray to treat housing, nesting boxes, etc. (larger areas/hard surfaces/nooks/crannies).

The bare areas may just be from feather picking or the birds picking at themselves due to the mites.

A vet would not likely have any vaccines for poultry, they come in quite large quanities and are usually administered at hatch. I don't vaccinate my birds at all, but some do, there's pros cons to everything.

If you worry about Coccidiosis, then wait until they've been exposed to your property/ground for about 4-5 days, then treat them with Corid. This should take care of any issues with that. It's probably a good idea to treat, since mites can weaken them which allows for opportunistic parasites to take better hold.

I'd get on the mites asap, see that they are eating/drinking well, a little extra protein may be helpful (egg, fish, meat) or you can provide chick starter (non medicated) or an all flock feed that is 18-20% protein.
Deworm them and treat for Coccidiosis.

You're doing fine, we all have our ups and downs, lots of things to learn...still learning and always will be.


View attachment 3623339View attachment 3623340

Thank you so much for this. I guess I need to get back to Tractor Supply lol. Just to clarify, I don't think I have to worry about Coccidiosis because the breeder said they WERE actually vaccinated for everything, though it's possible he was lying. I am wondering though if a vet would treat for mites, lice and worms as part of the usual cost, or whether it would be triple costs. I guess I should give them a call just to see. I'd love to go through the whole process watching someone at least once.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you so much for this. I guess I need to get back to Tractor Supply lol. Just to clarify, I don't think I have to worry about Coccidiosis because the breeder said they WERE actually vaccinated for everything, though it's possible he was lying. I am wondering though if a vet would treat for mites, lice and worms as part of the usual cost, or whether it would be triple costs. I guess I should give them a call just to see. I'd love to go through the whole process watching someone at least once.

Seeking vet care is always best.
If your vet is well versed in poultry, then having them go through the whole process with you is a great idea.

 

[arazla]

Seeking vet care is always best.
If your vet is well versed in poultry, then having them go through the whole process with you is a great idea.

They quoted me like $500 probably. Hmm…