Questions re: roundworms!I want to treat ASAP. Help! I have broody hens

[Kiki]

Ok. I can handle that! At least with the foot soaks I feel like I'm making her feel better, and not traumatizing her. Why doesn't snuggling a chicken make them feel better?! I just want to hug her, and pet her.... it's hard to leave her alone She is happier being able to stay with the flock that is for sure. Should I do foot soaks throughout the week?

I would, at least once a day...I'm sure she will enjoy two days in a row at the "spa".

 

[Kiki]

Have you read through this yet?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...our-chickens-with-surgery-graphic-pics.47705/

 

[CCinVT]

Have you read through this yet?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...our-chickens-with-surgery-graphic-pics.47705/

I don't know how I missed this one... I just read through it though, and it seems consistent with the others i've read online. The pictures really help me. The toe scab def. came out like a plug this time, and the foot pad one came out like a plug last time. I also did cut around it at an angle like it describes. I think the part i'm not getting is the hard puss after the scab comes out... I mean i used the tip of the utility knife to try and scoop at the hole as much as I could, and I had tweezers that i tried to Pull/pinch out anything that might resemble what I've seen as puss. With a few squeezes it looked like I was getting something to come to the surface but nothing solid or that i could pull out or get to squeeze out (pimple like style). When it started bleeding too much to see I used the V, and would apply pressure with a cottonball until I could work on it again. I also did the second epsom dip before wrapping her feet. That is a step I didn't do the first time. Hubby says I worked on it maybe an hour with a couple bleed breaks for me, and the chicken to catch our breath.... Until I felt like I was hopelessly picking for something I couldn't find.
I am thinking though that I could have squeezed the area more when she was soaking. I lightly squeezed, but was mostly letting her soak. I did squeeze while i was working on it though. Tonight when I soak/re wrap her foot I will squeeze it to try and draw more out.

 

[Kiki]

You gotta get it all out.
I..well DH had to squeeze pretty hard.

I really don't know if you should try again or not.
If she should recover for a while then you try again?
I am thinking I would let her heal back up for a while before any more squeezing...
Too much (messing with her foot)...might just be too much for her?
I really don't know.

 

[CCinVT]

I think I am more comfortable with a lighter spa type treatment approach for now. I squeezed as hard as I was comfortable with... she flapped out of hubby's grip once. It deff. wasn't comfortable for her, and she was stressed. We had her head covered, and her on her side like that article discribes. I will focus on keeping it clean, and wrapped while the yard is a muddy mess for now. Hubby closed them in for the night so I haven't double checked her foot wrap yet. if it looks like her wounds are covered still I will let her rest for the night, and give her a foot soak tomorrow...her wings were pretty slumped when she went back on the roost last night. I will keep an eye on her for getting worse. I understand it has to come out to be cured...after seeing so many pictures i was frustrated i wasn't seeing the obvious hard puss. These chickens have had a rough summer too... so maybe just some eggies, and a good foot soak tomorrow... So you def. had an obvious cheese curdle-ish plug that came out of the foot after the scab plug?

 

[Kiki]

Yes I did...on both

I think I am more comfortable with a lighter spa type treatment approach for now. I squeezed as hard as I was comfortable with... she flapped out of hubby's grip once. It deff. wasn't comfortable for her, and she was stressed. We had her head covered, and her on her side like that article discribes. I will focus on keeping it clean, and wrapped while the yard is a muddy mess for now. Hubby closed them in for the night so I haven't double checked her foot wrap yet. if it looks like her wounds are covered still I will let her rest for the night, and give her a foot soak tomorrow...her wings were pretty slumped when she went back on the roost last night. I will keep an eye on her for getting worse. I understand it has to come out to be cured...after seeing so many pictures i was frustrated i wasn't seeing the obvious hard puss. These chickens have had a rough summer too... so maybe just some eggies, and a good foot soak tomorrow... So you def. had an obvious cheese curdle-ish plug that came out of the foot after the scab plug?

Yes I did on both feet I treated..
I've only treated two..but I 'm telling you DH did some serious squeezing.

I think just the foot soaks will be fine.

 

[CCinVT]

@KikisGirls My momma hen was attacked at some point last evening! She was fine with all chicks when i checked on them late afternoon. When Hubby went to close them in there were only 7 of the original 9 chicks. I had put our main rooster in jail for the day because i thought that the girls could use a break. Abe was distressed, and ran around the whole house making this low cooing noise before he went back to the coop. I have no idea what went down, but it happened while we were home. The fox usually makes the chickens disappear (and in verns case there was blood). I think this was something else not usual.

So I went out to check on Momma after hubby counted we were missing chicks, and she sounds like she was weezing! Could trauma maker her make a sad noise like this? Or like a "not quite a purr" / "like she is playing a soft accordion sound" cant really describe it. She had mud on her back, But I didn't see any blood or gore. She is breathing with her beak closed, and drinking water as of last night. She looked uncomfortable. I looked for puncture wounds, and didn't find anything. Checked under her wings, across her chest around her vent, and legs. I didn't flip her over, but layed her on both sides, and moved through her fingers. Tried to check her neck but feathers are dense there...nothing obvious. she didn't make noise while her head was covered and I was checking her, but when I put her back upright it starts again. She accepted the babies back under her... so after checking her over twice I didn't want to stress her further. I mixed up electrolytes, but don't want to hurt the chicks. So not i'm writing you for advice..... I feel like momma could use them. I am making scrambled eggies for her as soon as I'm done writing this. What else should I look for?! I didn't sleep at all last night. Not locking the roo up today, and going to leave Marigold in her box for the day.... That's my plan. I read on here that she could have punctured an air sac?? Tips for finding puncture wounds? anything else I should look for?? Help please My experience with Vern was terrible, and I'm trying to do better this time.
Popcorns foot looked improved last time i checked. I plan on soaking and checking it again today. Rooster coop build continues this weekend.

 

[CCinVT]

Should I put the electrolytes in her water?

 

[CCinVT]

Ok. I'm posting another update because I post to you @KikisGirls when i'm freaking out! You are currently my chicken lifeline, and I don't know how I would get through this summer without you! I am being put through my paces!
I was nervous to go check this morning. I did make homemade electrolytes, and gave it diluted in the waterer. Also made scrambled eggs, and she gave most of it away to the babies. She was up, and making cluck clucks to the babies. Which i'm taking as a good sign. She definitely was ruffled up. broken feathers and such, but i still can't find any obvious wounds. I will keep looking, and watching her to see if she gives me any more clues. I did not hear the weezing/accordian noise this morning. She still sounds like there is a frog in her throat, but she is up and moving around. Our neighbor got a new dog that he allows off leash. I have no proof but am wondering if that might be my culprit. We have never had to deal with neighbor dogs before... I'm not freaking out as bad at the moment, but still always love your advice and will keep watching her. Abe is with the flock. I wanted them to have a break because I want them to get their feathers back before winter and he is a big roo, but now i feel like the flock needs their guardian. Hard decisions...

 

[Kiki]

O girl..I'm sorry I didn't notice this sooner.

Electrolytes are fine for the chicks too.
Many people actually offer them to chicks for a little pick me up when they are first hatched.

So no blood ...right?

She probably just got scared real good.
I'd leave her be.....she will be fine.

I'm going to say that she and the babies got lucky this time.
What ever came after her will be back so you are going to need to put her and the babies in a secure place for a while until you can figure out what came to is it.
I personally would not trust a rooster to keep a predator away.


I wouldn't worry about the sound she was making...as long as she is eating and drinking she will be ok.

I'm really busy right now with prepping for this stupid hurricane that will be hitting tonight.

I'll try to check back in with you later this evening.