***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[ashtree]

So very sorry to hear! I understand too about the sad and angry part... it is so hard, especially when kids are involved. Please don't fault the seller too much - mites is something we all deal with...the key is to prevent, or to catch and treat before they really become a problem. Wild birds will bring these things in so getting them in the first place can happen no matter what you do. ((well, there is always house chickens))

I don't know how common the issues are with mites - cant really speak to that - but in general, parasites will weaken a bird. Then they were stressed from the move - and they are young to begin with, which make them more susceptible. I hear that kittens and puppies can quickly die from just flea infestations.

I would go with the sevin, even if it just this one time - a quick kill of the mites may be best chance your chick has for survival.

Anyone have suggestions for icu treatment for the remaining chick? sugar water, elecrolytes, etc? Don't know where the bird is, but maybe brining it in so it doesn't have to deal with temps, in rubber maid tub so you KNOW there are no more nasties nearby waiting to jump on again.... I might even through the idea out there about bathing to make sure the mites are off, but that is a lot of stress to the chick - well, not the bath - but the drying and potential chill afterwards. Other folks - PLEASE CHIME IN! These are ideas - but I have no real experience with this.

Ok thank you for assuring me its somewhat normal in buying poultry. Im new to this and was upset about the loss of some and potentially more.

I just did the seven dust. My husband was not happy about using it but I want these babies to live. Im trying to give the newest sick one molasses water. Hoping she will perk back up. How long do I need to wait before letting my kids touch the birds again?

 

[ashtree]

Ivermectin should also work for mites - a drop of the blue cattle dewormer on the back of the neck will get the mites off of the bird.

This forum thread might help too:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/749736/mites-mites-mites .

Upon looking into more Im certain we are dealing with lice.

 

[BetsyOK]

You are correct that these are lice. Lice are pale yellow and somewhat oblong in shape. Mites are very tiny, black and more or less round. Not having had a problem with lice, I'm not sure if the treatment is the same, but I do know it is very important to take care of it right away. Either one can easily kill young chicks, and are also very hard on even older birds.

Not sure why you're giving them molasses water--molasses is a laxative. You can get small packets of vitamins/electrolytes specifically for poultry at any farm and home store, and I think that would be much better for them. Hard boiled egg is also very good for helping build up sick chicks or adults.

Good luck!

 

[ashtree]

You are correct that these are lice. Lice are pale yellow and somewhat oblong in shape. Mites are very tiny, black and more or less round. Not having had a problem with lice, I'm not sure if the treatment is the same, but I do know it is very important to take care of it right away. Either one can easily kill young chicks, and are also very hard on even older birds.

Not sure why you're giving them molasses water--molasses is a laxative. You can get small packets of vitamins/electrolytes specifically for poultry at any farm and home store, and I think that would be much better for them. Hard boiled egg is also very good for helping build up sick chicks or adults.

Good luck!

oops. Good to know. I read about molasses for them on a different thread. I'm boiling eggs now and will run to the feed store soon. Thank you for all the info.

 

[Ksane]

I have a question, I have a Maran chick that will be 5 weeks old on Friday, the funny thing is he/she is growing like the others however it has no feathers, just the chick fuzz still.  It looks like a giant baby chick.  Will have to get some pictures,  Has anyone had this with a chick before?

Thankks

Because he's a strapping young man lol You should see LF Brahma boys when they're young-OMG. Big gangly long legged things and not a feather in sight, just scraggly chick down

 

[bardies]

Ok thank you for assuring me its somewhat normal in buying poultry. Im new to this and was upset about the loss of some and potentially more.

I just did the seven dust. My husband was not happy about using it but I want these babies to live. Im trying to give the newest sick one molasses water. Hoping she will perk back up. How long do I need to wait before letting my kids touch the birds again?

Not sure about that. Lots of controversy on byc re sevin dust - Kyzmette hhit the nail on the head when she mentioned a lot of fussing over the topic. While you are at the feed shop, check out the dog and cat area - there may be flea, tick and lice powders there that would also work on poultry and may also have 'directions' re handling by kids. Good Luck! Let us know how it ends up going.

 

[Kyzmette]

Of they're teeny tiny and yellow they're mites. If they're larger and yellow they're lice. Mites become darker at a later lifecycle. Both are bloodsuckers. I've used ivermectin as the first step in mite control, and if mine were heavily infested I would probably use it again. My apologies for totalky forgetting about it!

Yes, heavy infestations can kill a bird. You've already treated them with Sevin, and I've heard that makes the little buggers fall right off. Sugar or molasses water is a good first step. Increase protein to help with the bloodloss, and give them a poultry vitamin and electrolytes. For full grown birds I keep the poultry drench from tsc, as well as an electrolyte powder, on hand, and they get the vitamins every few days or so.

 

[ashtree]

Of they're teeny tiny and yellow they're mites. If they're larger and yellow they're lice. Mites become darker at a later lifecycle. Both are bloodsuckers. I've used ivermectin as the first step in mite control, and if mine were heavily infested I would probably use it again. My apologies for totalky forgetting about it!

Yes, heavy infestations can kill a bird. You've already treated them with Sevin, and I've heard that makes the little buggers fall right off. Sugar or molasses water is a good first step. Increase protein to help with the bloodloss, and give them a poultry vitamin and electrolytes. For full grown birds I keep the poultry drench from tsc, as well as an electrolyte powder, on hand, and they get the vitamins every few days or so.

Then they are mites. I only did seven dust on the birds that have been sharing a cage and are obviously infested. My other birds have not been around them at all and I see no signs of mites on them. But I did put DE on them, and their coops. I also did DE all over the cage of the tines and cleaned all the cages/coops. All chickens just got hard boiled egg. I have an awesome friend bringing electrolyte powder over now. Fingers crossed we won't lose anymore babies.

Not sure about that. Lots of controversy on byc re sevin dust - Kyzmette hhit the nail on the head when she mentioned a lot of fussing over the topic. While you are at the feed shop, check out the dog and cat area - there may be flea, tick and lice powders there that would also work on poultry and may also have 'directions' re handling by kids. Good Luck! Let us know how it ends up going.

Thank you, I will update later. Hopefully with good news!

 

[artsyrobin]

Guys Muskogee orschlens has speckled Sussex.and Jersey giants in!

 

[Kyzmette]

Then they are mites. I only did seven dust on the birds that have been sharing a cage and are obviously infested. My other birds have not been around them at all and I see no signs of mites on them. But I did put DE on them, and their coops. I also did DE all over the cage of the tines and cleaned all the cages/coops. All chickens just got hard boiled egg. I have an awesome friend bringing electrolyte powder over now. Fingers crossed we won't lose anymore babies.

Thank you, I will update later. Hopefully with good news!

When I say teeny tiny, I mean pinhead sized. I should have asked in my first post about size. Baby mites are really difficult to see because they're so small, but they form colonies that look like dustbunny clumps in the feathers around the vent area. The others are right that you're probably dealing with lice if you can pick them out easily. Doesnt really matter, though, because both bloodsucking parasites can be taken care of with the same treatment. And in all honesty, your chicks probably have both lice and mites.

The good news is they don't thrive on humans. They can bite humans, though, so be sure to wash well and change your clothes after treating them.