One dead hen and a very poorly cockerel

[Calm]

We have had one of our beautiful hens die this week. So sad. And now our gorgeous baby silkie cockerel is very poorly. He hasn't even got the strength to stand. He has eaten and had some water, but he is very lethargic. Our birds are all free range. They sleep in a big hen house at night and come out every day. Our cockerel was growing up and just about to crow; he has tried a few times. Now he isn't doing anything at all.

Our hens were twitching and when we looked closely we found they had lice. We have treated them all for lice using poultry lice powder containing permethrin. We have used this powder before and it cleared the lice so we were confident to use it again. This time we had some of the powder left and we started the three-week course with this. For the first two weeks we used this powder. (The powder was pink). For the third dose we bought a new pot that looked exactly the same and was bought from the same shop. This time though the powder was grey and it smelled different. The birds were taken out of the hen house and dusted one at a time outside. They were then left outside to run around as usual. Within a couple of days the hen and the cockerel weren't the same. The hen then died and our cockerel is very poorly. It seems as if the powder has casued the problem.

We will take the little cockerel to the vet tomorrow, but we were wondering if anyone has any ideas of what we can do? .

 

[meyer71]

We have a sick turkey he has green runny poop and yellow slime in his mouth and don't know how to help him

 

[Suzie]

Did you also treat their housing with the permethryn? If not, you need to treat their housing also as they will become re-infestated ..

Sorry that you are going through this

Suzie

 

[Calm]

Hello Suzy
Thank-you for your kind words, no I never done the hen house, but will in the morning

 

[Suzie]

I would suggest that after you treat their housing that you repeat treating the house after another 10 days... this will also kill any newly hatched mites/lice... the same for your chickens too.

Good luck!

Suzie

 

[Harry Rooster]

We have had one of our beautiful hens die this week. So sad. And now our gorgeous baby silkie cockerel is very poorly. He hasn't even got the strength to stand. He has eaten and had some water, but he is very lethargic. Our birds are all free range. They sleep in a big hen house at night and come out every day. Our cockerel was growing up and just about to crow; he has tried a few times. Now he isn't doing anything at all.

Our hens were twitching and when we looked closely we found they had lice. We have treated them all for lice using poultry lice powder containing permethrin. We have used this powder before and it cleared the lice so we were confident to use it again. This time we had some of the powder left and we started the three-week course with this. For the first two weeks we used this powder. (The powder was pink). For the third dose we bought a new pot that looked exactly the same and was bought from the same shop. This time though the powder was grey and it smelled different. The birds were taken out of the hen house and dusted one at a time outside. They were then left outside to run around as usual. Within a couple of days the hen and the cockerel weren't the same. The hen then died and our cockerel is very poorly. It seems as if the powder has casued the problem.

We will take the little cockerel to the vet tomorrow, but we were wondering if anyone has any ideas of what we can do? .

So very sorry for you. This really disturbs me because I was getting ready to treat my cockerel also for mites. He usually keeps himself dusted but I've had him inside for about 2 wks now treating him for respiratory with antibiotic, and since have seen him scratching. I think they just came about since he's been inside and unable to dust himself, but now I'm worried about doing it since you've had your problem. I bought Y-Tex GardStar poultry and garden dust, haven't opened it yet to see what color it is. What kind did you get? I'm wondering if maybe he was dusted too many times too close together? It sounds to me like it was the dust also, since there was nothing else wrong before then. Since mine has recently been sick with respiratory infection, it would probably be even worse, plus I need to worm him also. I'm thinking both treatments at the same time, or too close together may make him sick again, and he is really back to himself now, except for the scratching. Please post whatever you find out from the vet, I would like to know what happened to make them sick. I really hope and pray that your cockerel gets better,

I know how you feel, I really love mine also, he is so sweet. Good Luck and keep us posted please.

 

[Calm]

Hello to the kind people in Alabama,

Thank you for your contact and kind words. Sadly our little cockerel didn't survive.

He was a very handsome little silkie and we miss him, especially his little antics that were so amusing. We took him to the vet and we were given critical care formula. This seemed to work for a short time and he picked up enough to eat a little bread and corn from our hands. But it didn't last. The vet thought it was possibly the dusting that killed him, but she coudn't be sure. Please let us know how your cockerel is doing. We hope he is OK.

 

[Suzie]

Calm,

I am so very sorry to hear that he didn't make it despite all of your wonderful efforts to help him.

Thinking of you at this difficult and very sad time for you

Suzie