Ok, "uncle"..I need help..sweet hubby bought from a trader...birds are getting sick

[hiltopsassafras]

Hello,
I posted 2 nights ago about a bird that was sick...well, she died. We tried to help her but have limited knowledge.

Yesterday went okay,

We were given 6 healthy hens and rooster from a dear friend. We have had for a couple of months, no problem. We bought 3 baby chics at the same time. Chics are doing well.

We are new to chickens, not livestock. I love dear hubby, He loves craigs list...he made an impulsive buy FROM A CHICKEN TRADER!! ...bad hubby, bad hubby. I have heard of horse traders but not chicken traders...I am razzing hubby about this for the rest of my life!

We had 5 new year old sex link hens. 1 died, 4 are left. This morning 2 are weezing with runny noses. I put apple cider vinegar with the mother in there water and 10 drops of grapeseed extract oil. I am putting some electrolyte and probiotic in it as soon as I finish this post. I also got a few drops of grapeseed oil down each one of thier beaks and in nasal cavities. Idk, they seem docile and calm but it's like the "gentle" horse you buy and then start feeding. Poor condition makes everything friendly...lol.

Hubby said there were approx 30 birds in sets of 10 in cages when he got to the dealer. No idea if they all came from the same place. The beaks of 3 of my birds have been cut. 1 has her beak intact. Don't know if this makes a difference. Also they are not laying, maybe not old enough or just way to nervous at this point....but I have been giving them cedicated chic starter...is that ok/ good idea/ bad idea? If eggs do start popping out we wont eat them.

They are in an open run with half shelter, half sun. Half dirt, half grass. Good amount of space for 4 birds.

The birds are some where between 7 months and a year. 2 of them have bright red combs and 2 that are runny nosed have pink combs.


Also, while I am at it...how do you get rid of mites? Can you water bathe them or add something to thier dust bath area. I want the path of least resistance but want it to work.

Thanks,
Sassy!

 

[Eggcessive]

First I want to suggest when you have time, go up the page to "Learning Center" and read some of the articles under "Maintaining a Healthy Flock" and "Getting Started." There are tons of material worth reading. You have learned a good lesson about not buying chickens from someone you don't know because you can wipe out your whole flock. Secondly, you need to get some medication for the respiratory disease if you want to treat it. Duramycin-10 is one to put in the drinking water, Albon or DiMox is another to use. Poultry Dust (permethrin) and 5% Sevin Dust are commonly used for mite control. To treat you put the chicken in a pillow case or garbage bag that contains the dust up to the neck, and try to get the dust all over the chicken. Then yopu have to clean out the coop and dust it. As for the medicated chick starter, I would switch to unmedicated starter/grower next bag so you can eat the eggs. They won't kill you if you eat them, but your chickens should start being immune to cocci in your soil. You can keep the chickens on grower from now on if you put some crushed oystershell out in a container for some extra calcium that the layers will take on their own. You don't need to switch to layer later on unless you prefer that, because roosters don't need the extra calcium it contains.

 

[hiltopsassafras]

Got it....Thank you SOOO much. Will be doing all you suggest.
Sassy

 

[hiltopsassafras]

Eggcessive or anyone that may know...

I have located some Tetroxy-HCA...will that work?

Sassy