Recovery from mite infestation

[BuckeyeFoodie]

So I have a silkie pullet that I thought had a respiratory infection, but it turns out she also had mites. I used Elector PSP on everyone and everything on Friday, and the mites appear to be dead.

Unfortunately before I caught on to the mite issue this pullet had gotten to the point where she was very weak in the legs, and unable to keep herself upright. I have tried every way I could think of to make a sling for her, and nothing worked that she didn't find a way to fight her way out of, so I ended up wedging her in a bin between two boxes to keep her upright, which seems to be doing the job so far.

What else can I do to try and support her recovery? She is very bright and has a good appetite. She's getting a dose of liquid vitamin supplement daily (I'm tube-feeding her every morning because inevitably she knocks over the food and water in her tub, and I want to ensure she's getting water and nutrition). She is thin, but not emaciated, and her weight is holding steady.

 

[azygous]

I need to ask if you know the difference between mites and lice. Mites usually do not live on the chicken. Lice do. Lice lay their eggs (nits) on the base of the feather shafts. They have six legs. They feed on the dry skin and dander, not on the blood.

Mites hide out in the coop during the day and come out at night to feed on the blood of the chickens. This can cause anemia from blood loss. Mites have eight legs, and the coop has to be treated to get rid of them.

If it was indeed mites that have made this chicken weak, spinach and other deep green leafy veggies can help. Also eggs. Liver. Ground beef.

 

[BuckeyeFoodie]

I need to ask if you know the difference between mites and lice. Mites usually do not live on the chicken. Lice do. Lice lay their eggs (nits) on the base of the feather shafts. They have six legs. They feed on the dry skin and dander, not on the blood.

Mites hide out in the coop during the day and come out at night to feed on the blood of the chickens. This can cause anemia from blood loss. Mites have eight legs, and the coop has to be treated to get rid of them.

If it was indeed mites that have made this chicken weak, spinach and other deep green leafy veggies can help. Also eggs. Liver. Ground beef.

I do know the difference between lice and mites. I was leaning towards lice because there were lots of eggs at the base of the feather shaft, but her symptoms lined up too well with anemia for me to rule out mites. I treated EVERYTHING in the coop just in case.


I've got some spinach in my fridge she can definitely have!

 

[SmiYa0126]

I need to ask if you know the difference between mites and lice. Mites usually do not live on the chicken. Lice do. Lice lay their eggs (nits) on the base of the feather shafts. They have six legs. They feed on the dry skin and dander, not on the blood.

Mites hide out in the coop during the day and come out at night to feed on the blood of the chickens. This can cause anemia from blood loss. Mites have eight legs, and the coop has to be treated to get rid of them.

If it was indeed mites that have made this chicken weak, spinach and other deep green leafy veggies can help. Also eggs. Liver. Ground beef.

X2 get some meat into her, it's more bioavailable than veg. I fed my sick hen suet, grubs and egg yolk, she got her strength back after two weeks. Also give her calcium citrate and b complex and vitamin e.

 

[BuckeyeFoodie]

Good news! She's improved enough that she's able to walk! She's still weak and off-kilter, but I put her back in the cage with her friends because she was pushing her way out of the bin she was in to keep her upright. Fingers crossed that she keeps improving!

 

[SmiYa0126]

Wonderful news!