I raised laying hens several years ago and have just gotten back into it. If only I had found you BEFORE getting them. The extent of the problems I ever had previously were massacres by raccoons or possoms.
I purchased 11 White Rock hens and 1 rooster of approx 20 weeks age about a month ago from a gal that also had ducks and turkeys all in the same large uncovered pen. I brought them all home to a coop that had been unused for about 10 years and was freshly cleaned, dusted with Stall Dry and new pine shavings put down for bedding. While I did not inspect for parasites prior to bringing them home (didn't know there was such a thing prior to this), they all appeared clean and healthy. After watching them for a few days, something seemed not right. I was able to catch one of the girls and found lice with no evidence of mites. After spending hours searching BYC, we cleaned out all the shavings, dusted everybody with poultry dust, relayered Stall Dry, put down new pine shavings, more Stall Dry and poultry dust. One week later, we dusted everybody again with poultry dust (with more vigor) as well as the nests (fresh shavings), roosts, and bedding. It seemed a couple had it worse than the week previous. One week after that, it seemed we were not seeing improvement so I went for the big guns and got Iver-On, a pourable 5% solution for cattle, and put drops on everyone and redusted the coop with poultry dust (permethrin). Most ended up with more than the prescribed 5 drops per bird as I had a sticky syringe. Again, I sprinkled poultry dust in the nests and on all the roosts. There is a dirt/wood ash/Stall Dry dust bath in their area. There are no other animals in the coop area nor have I ever seen evidence of any wild birds. The girls have not been outside since coming here.
The rooster is one that has the worst infestation...his neck and rear were getting pecked clean by the hens and I had hoped the Iver-On would clear things up. While putting on the drops, I also sprayed his neck and rear with BlueKote and hoped for the best. After a few days out of town, I returned to find the girls have picked off all the purple on Gonzo and then some. I caught him today and put him into quarantine so things can grow back. Again, I have seen no evidence of mites but spots on the skin on his neck as well as the feather stumps are all black. I am wondering if this is scabbing (blood mixed with the BlueKote).
Amidst all this, one of the hens has not grown since bringing her home (noticeably smaller than the other girls) and her comb and such have not developed. Her feet are a dark green and she appears to be blind (pupils barely perceptible). She did not stand out as being different than the others when I got her so I don't know if her problems since coming here or before.
I am feeding Purina Layena crumbles and garden leftovers occassionally. I have a red bulb as well as a 60W white bulb on a timer for 15 hours a day. Prior to the Iver-On administration, I had done the fresh garlic in the water and cayenne on the feed.
My apologies for the length of this but I'm trying to give as much information as I can think of. It just seems like things are not improving and my husband is about to lay an egg (just kidding but he's frustrated). What started out as my little hobby has become a really expensive production resulting in a lot of thrown out eggs. Now what?
I purchased 11 White Rock hens and 1 rooster of approx 20 weeks age about a month ago from a gal that also had ducks and turkeys all in the same large uncovered pen. I brought them all home to a coop that had been unused for about 10 years and was freshly cleaned, dusted with Stall Dry and new pine shavings put down for bedding. While I did not inspect for parasites prior to bringing them home (didn't know there was such a thing prior to this), they all appeared clean and healthy. After watching them for a few days, something seemed not right. I was able to catch one of the girls and found lice with no evidence of mites. After spending hours searching BYC, we cleaned out all the shavings, dusted everybody with poultry dust, relayered Stall Dry, put down new pine shavings, more Stall Dry and poultry dust. One week later, we dusted everybody again with poultry dust (with more vigor) as well as the nests (fresh shavings), roosts, and bedding. It seemed a couple had it worse than the week previous. One week after that, it seemed we were not seeing improvement so I went for the big guns and got Iver-On, a pourable 5% solution for cattle, and put drops on everyone and redusted the coop with poultry dust (permethrin). Most ended up with more than the prescribed 5 drops per bird as I had a sticky syringe. Again, I sprinkled poultry dust in the nests and on all the roosts. There is a dirt/wood ash/Stall Dry dust bath in their area. There are no other animals in the coop area nor have I ever seen evidence of any wild birds. The girls have not been outside since coming here.
The rooster is one that has the worst infestation...his neck and rear were getting pecked clean by the hens and I had hoped the Iver-On would clear things up. While putting on the drops, I also sprayed his neck and rear with BlueKote and hoped for the best. After a few days out of town, I returned to find the girls have picked off all the purple on Gonzo and then some. I caught him today and put him into quarantine so things can grow back. Again, I have seen no evidence of mites but spots on the skin on his neck as well as the feather stumps are all black. I am wondering if this is scabbing (blood mixed with the BlueKote).
Amidst all this, one of the hens has not grown since bringing her home (noticeably smaller than the other girls) and her comb and such have not developed. Her feet are a dark green and she appears to be blind (pupils barely perceptible). She did not stand out as being different than the others when I got her so I don't know if her problems since coming here or before.
I am feeding Purina Layena crumbles and garden leftovers occassionally. I have a red bulb as well as a 60W white bulb on a timer for 15 hours a day. Prior to the Iver-On administration, I had done the fresh garlic in the water and cayenne on the feed.
My apologies for the length of this but I'm trying to give as much information as I can think of. It just seems like things are not improving and my husband is about to lay an egg (just kidding but he's frustrated). What started out as my little hobby has become a really expensive production resulting in a lot of thrown out eggs. Now what?