Pale combs for 3 months, and now in others too?

[lindsayjesse]

Hey guys, I was wondering if you can help me out. I did a ton of research on what can cause a chicken to have a pale comb/wattle, and almost everything led me to roundworms (anemia).

I dosed the whole flock with Wazine about 8 weeks ago after my sussex had lived with a pale comb for over a month and my buff orpington started to go pale too. I did the double dose (dose once, wait 10 days, dose again) and thought everything would resolve. Well, those two are still pale, and now so are my barred rock and my wyandotte! The only one with a beautiful red comb is my very friendly (read: very food-motivated) RIR.

I'm starting to worry that something else might be going on, or that the Wazine didn't do the trick. I did everything right, I think, though I worry that a gallon of water for 5 birds might have diluted it too much? I'm sure the starlings and house sparrows got a good dose of it, though.

What do you guys think? Poops look normal, activity is totally normal, egg laying is decreased because it's so consistently cold but I'm still getting about one egg a day from somebody (or they're taking turns, all the eggs look the same). Should I deworm again? Take somebody to the vet and run a culture? Consider myself a worrywort and get over it? Help please!

Thanks, everybody!

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

Have you checked lice and mites? If wild birds are getting in this a very real possibility. If there are no signs and you want to worm again I suggest Valbazen. You have to dose directly so you'll know everyone gets the med.

 

[lindsayjesse]

I haven't checked for mites and lice, and they currently don't have access to DE, though I do give them fresh soil to bathe in which they love. Before I start some mad googling, do you have any known good resources for what I should look for with mites/lice?

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

If you search the threads here I'm sure there are some good articles. Also try googling The Chicken Chick mites. I know there are pics and instructions on where an what to look for. If you do find them they'll need dustings with Seven.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I agree with the others to check for mites/lice and/or treat for them (and repeat the treatment for mites at 7 days, lice at 14 days).

Wazine only kills large roundworms. There are other worms that can take down a flock. Here is a chart:
http://en.aviagen.com/assets/Tech_Center/AA_Technical_Articles/AAServiceBulletinIntestinalWorms.pdf

There is rooster booster dewormer you can buy that goes in the feed and covers more types of worms. There is no egg withdrawal time for this one. This would be fed continuously for a time.

Valbazen and safeguard are other wormers that are liquid and go right into the chickens' mouths...look these up on BYC too. You will need to toss eggs if you use these as they are not approved for egglayers. I think most people toss for two weeks. Repeat the wormer at 10 days. Basically I am saying that it could be another type of worms. Some vets will do a fecal float test for worms and cocci if you take the poo in (false negatives are possible).

Do everything you can to keep the songbirds/starlings away from your chickens. Move birdfeeders far away, etc. and provide separate birdbaths very far away from your chickens if possible. They will spread mites/lice/disease to chickens. There are treadle chicken feeders you can buy or make to keep songbirds from getting the chicken feed if necessary.

What I do is provide a birdbath and a birdfeeder way far away from the chickens and that works for me. Otherwise the birds go right into the coop for feed!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Also make sure that your feed is OK.

 

[jgoldy2]

Welcome to BYC!! It is probably a lack of vitamins.