Rescuing neglected chickens...help!

[77horses]

I also read that apple cider vinegar (ACV) is great for chickens when added to their water. Thoughts? http://homesteadfamilia.com/benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar-for-chickens/

 

[77horses]

Personally, I'd wait and worm if needed. My understanding (might be flawed) is that worming can be physically stressful.

Given that the birds are not in the best condition right now, and that it is Winter and that they are being moved, and there are no other birds yet, **Maybe** waiting until you can verify the need for worming, or at least get them fed and hydrated and comfortable first.
I really don't know if this is sane thinking or overly cautious.

I was thinking the same thing after reading about how dewormer can be tough on birds that are already sick. If the lice/mite infestation with these birds is as bad as I suspect it is, I'm guessing they'll all have anemia to some extent. I get the feeling that it wouldn't be overly cautious to hold off on introducing dewormer to an already anemic, malnourished and cold bird!

 

[21hens-incharge]

I would treat for worms before they enter the coop.

Worm eggs live a looooong time in the dirt.

@casportpony can you lend your worming wisdom here?

 

[casportpony]

I would treat for worms before they enter the coop.

Worm eggs live a looooong time in the dirt.

@casportpony can you lend your worming wisdom here?

I'm gonna go read the whole thread before I suggest worming.

 

[77horses]

I would treat for worms before they enter the coop.

Worm eggs live a looooong time in the dirt.

@casportpony can you lend your worming wisdom here?

What if there's no dirt? Other than any wood surfaces and pine shavings inside the coop, the ground outside the coop is totally covered in snow right now. Can worm eggs also live in pine shavings/dust inside the coop? Hopefully I don't sound too silly here lol

 

[21hens-incharge]

What if there's no dirt? Other than any wood surfaces and pine shavings inside the coop, the ground outside the coop is totally covered in snow right now. Can worm eggs also live in pine shavings/dust inside the coop? Hopefully I don't sound too silly here lol

Not silly at all. I do believe they can.
I am not as knowledgeable as I would like to be.
That's why I called casportpony to advise. Always good info from her.

 

[WindingRoad]

Hey guys,
I just had a coworker reach out to me asking for help with a situation. She has an older family member who has been sick for a long time, recently to the point where they're mostly housebound and unable to do much. I don't know them personally, but I do know they don't have a lot of family/support around and they have some mental condition going on...They have a flock of chickens that has been increasingly neglected since they became sick. My coworker knows that I used to raise chickens and that I was planning on picking the hobby back up this spring, and so they asked if I'd be willing to take on the remaining flock. I guess they don't want their family member to get in trouble with animal control services, so they told them they'd find them a new home.
It's currently in the dead of winter where I am, with the average temps in the low 30's. It's not suppose to warm up for another 3-4 months from now. I have a shed that I got this past fall and was planning on converting into a coop this spring when the snow melted. It's built and all, but that's it- it's just an empty shed. I don't have a run set up, no roosts or nest boxes or anything. So, I should be declining to take them on. But she says the situation is pretty dire...Apparently the chickens have been dying left and right because they've stopped eating and don't have access to water because it keeps freezing over. Their coop situation is horrible as it's not maintained and they're essentially living in their own filth. I guarantee they have a whole host of health issues- lice, mites, worms, etc...all of which I know how to treat for the most part, but I also haven't done this in 6 or so years.
I really should decline given the situation, but I don't think I can bring myself to. They don't know anyone else who would consider taking them and I fear they're all going to continue suffering and dying before another solution can be found. Some of you might suggest that culling is the most humane option, but they don't want to kill them (and neither will I). My heart breaks thinking about those poor chooks in their filthy, uninsulated coop with frozen water and no food. There's only 4 hens left, all around 4 years old. I think I can pull something together in the next few days, I already have a large (albeit empty) shed and a heated waterer that I used to use. I can easily run to the local tractor supply/feed store and pick up all the supplies I need.
What do you guys think? I'm torn here. I really want to help, but I'm gonna need a lot of advice from y'all about treating these chooks for whatever health ailments they're bound to have...I would bet my life that they definitely have lice, mites, and roundworm at the least. If the plan is to go forward with this, what would be the best course of action? Best things to pick up? I have no idea what state they'll be in other than that they've been living in filth and have stopped eating. Sigh, why do people take on animals they can't properly care for...

I would go and look at them to see how bad off they are. Does't mean you won't take them just that you want to know what you are up against. It would break your heart if you took them and they are beyond help already. KWIM.

 

[casportpony]

Great advice and suggestions from everyone!

So much better than a feel-like-crap story.

I agree!

I like feel good stories. There's to much negativity about. Here's to good chicken health!

X2

Just catching up on the thread and doing research now, writing down things for tomorrow to get from the local tractor supply store- thank goodness I have another week of winter break until classes start up again, otherwise I wouldn't have any time to do any of this!
I started looking into Valbazen as a dewormer and came upon this response by @joebryant in a different thread:

Can anyone confirm that I should also get Wazine as a pre-treatment to the Valbazen? Or any other insight on this? I've only treated chickens for worms once and I think I just used Wazine for roundworms, but that was several years ago. Thanks!

I'm not sure how that de-worming method got started, but it makes no sense. Wazine treats only roundworms, Valbazen treats almost all other worms. The second dose is given to treat any work that might have hatched after the first worming, so 1st and 2nd worming will treat roundworms. The 2nd dose will treat capillary worms, cecal worms, but what will treat any capillary and cecal worms that hatch after dose 2? Anyway, I guess what I am try to say is pick one wormer and use it twice.

I was thinking the same thing after reading about how dewormer can be tough on birds that are already sick. If the lice/mite infestation with these birds is as bad as I suspect it is, I'm guessing they'll all have anemia to some extent. I get the feeling that it wouldn't be overly cautious to hold off on introducing dewormer to an already anemic, malnourished and cold bird!

They would have to be literally on deaths food for me not to de-worm them.

I would treat for worms before they enter the coop.

Worm eggs live a looooong time in the dirt.

@casportpony can you lend your worming wisdom here?

If I were going to adopt these hens I would start by getting them home and doing a thorough exam on each, which would include getting a baseline weight and I would inspect their poop. Then I would dust them with permethrin powder even if I couldn't see bugs (long story).

If some were deathly ill I would keep them in a warm hospital cage and provide supportive care (let's hope you don't need to do that). Hopefully, they are healthy enough to straight into your coop.

If they were not too thin and still pretty alert I would de-worm with Valbazen, or maybe Safeguard, but Safeguard needs to be given five days in a row, whereas Valbazen is given just one day and repeated in 10 days, so Valbazen would be easier to give.

 

[77horses]

Great advice and suggestions from everyone!


I agree!


X2


I'm not sure how that de-worming method got started, but it makes no sense. Wazine treats only roundworms, Valbazen treats almost all other worms. The second dose is given to treat any work that might have hatched after the first worming, so 1st and 2nd worming will treat roundworms. The 2nd dose will treat capillary worms, cecal worms, but what will treat any capillary and cecal worms that hatch after dose 2? Anyway, I guess what I am try to say is pick one wormer and use it twice.


They would have to be literally on deaths food for me not to de-worm them.


If I were going to adopt these hens I would start by getting them home and doing a thorough exam on each, which would include getting a baseline weight and I would inspect their poop. Then I would dust them with permethrin powder even if I couldn't see bugs (long story).

If some were deathly ill I would keep them in a warm hospital cage and provide supportive care (let's hope you don't need to do that). Hopefully, they are healthy enough to straight into your coop.

If they were not too thin and still pretty alert I would de-worm with Valbazen, or maybe Safeguard, but Safeguard needs to be given five days in a row, whereas Valbazen is given just one day and repeated in 10 days, so Valbazen would be easier to give.

Yeah, I wasn't too sure about that deworming method either so figured I'd ask! If anyone else has any input on it, feel free to add. For now I'll plan on just getting the Valbazen for dewormer.
I do worry that at least one, if not more, will be in pretty rough shape. From what my coworker has told me, the conditions they've been in are pretty horrible. The last time she went over to check on her relative, she couldn't go into the coop without gagging. So, there's that. And from what I know, the owner used to have about 15-20 chickens no less than a year ago- to go from that to just 4 now tells me that something is seriously wrong. The owner hasn't been selling them off or killing them for consumption either- my coworker says they've just been dying left and right because of increased neglect. So sad.
I have a feeling I'm gonna have some very lethargic, anemic, malnourished birds on my hands in a couple days. But like many of you have said, and from what I've experienced myself from raising them, chickens do indeed tend to be very hardy. So I'll plan for the worst, prepare as best I can with supplies and knowledge, and hope for the best!
Thanks again everyone for the help. I truly appreciate it!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

When are you going to get them?

I think Kathy got you covered on the worming - good advice there.