Odd bugs on hens - Could lead to death?

[chickenoverlord]

And what kind of feed are they getting?

 

[chickenoverlord]

Round, but like of like a crab, with legs out to the side, yellowy with perhaps a tinge of green, about 1 cm in length/diameter, though a little longer than wide. Move quickly, but not quickly enough that I couldn't see it. Kind of like a tick, but a little more like a spider? I'll see if I can find another one an make a more accurate description, or capture it and send a blurry photo.

it sounds like a louse, but not at that size.... U may have discovered a new species, lol. Where do u live at?

 

[Qalupalik]

Thank you very much for your help, I appreciate it. I will look for some Sevin Dust tomorrow.

Sleepy does not have any nasal or eye discharge. Her breathing is silent. How do I see mucous on a chicken? Her legs are clean, and the others' legs appear to be fine as well. But she is just skin and bones, the poor thing.



This is her last Thursday, sleeping.

 

[Qalupalik]

I live near Vancouver, BC.

They get 24/7 access to layer's pellets, hen scratch every afternoon, yogurt a few times a week, grit and oyster shells, the occasional grapes and once a tomato, and then they eat the bugs and whatever in the garden, including my strawberry plants, which I'm not pleased about.

 

[chickenoverlord]

Has she been wormed?

 

[chickenoverlord]

She might have internal trauma from the rough handling of her previous owner, poor thing.

 

[Qalupalik]

I haven't wormed them. I haven't been able to find a wormer yet, and the place where I buy my feed from says that they shouldn't need wormer, that she's had tons of chickens for a long time and has never needed it. But then again, I asked her if she knew a poultry vet and she said that chickens don't go to the vet.

The fact that she was so much worse off (she just died this afternoon) compared to rest of them, makes me suspect that it's more than just worms, if at all. I'm going to dust them all with dri-kill tonight. UGH! 3.5 weeks!!! This is so sad. I wish I would have known more and dealt with it (what is it?) earlier and saved her life.

 

[chickenoverlord]

I'm so sorry! it sounds like she had some type of trauma, probably from previous mistreatment. Chickens usually don't need wormed, but with the unscrupulous background of these poor girls they probably do. I NEVER use standard wormer, I buy food grade diatomaceous earth and mix in with all their feed. It's a kind of fossilized plankton that cuts the bodies of insects and worms and kills them, but causes absolutely no harm to the chickens. You can also get the standard grade to treat mites and lice. You can (and I have) use it on people, just don't get it in your eyes because it stings. It's safe with all birds and mammals,and it's impossible to overdose. It has the added benefit of kee
Ing bugs out of the feed.

 

[dawg53]

I'm so sorry!

it sounds like she had some type of trauma, probably from previous mistreatment. Chickens usually don't need wormed, but with the unscrupulous background of these poor girls they probably do. I NEVER use standard wormer, I buy food grade diatomaceous earth and mix in with all their feed. It's a kind of fossilized plankton that cuts the bodies of insects and worms and kills them, but causes absolutely no harm to the chickens. You can also get the standard grade to treat mites and lice. You can (and I have) use it on people, just don't get it in your eyes because it stings. It's safe with all birds and mammals,and it's impossible to overdose. It has the added benefit of kee
Ing bugs out of the feed.

"Chickens usually dont need to be wormed." I can assure you if their feet touch the ground, they'll get worms eventually and DE is useless as a wormer.

 

[chickenoverlord]

I'm just doing what the vet told me to do.