I have 3 silkies various sizes. The smallest one is probably only afew months old. I noticed yesterday that his eyes were all crusted shut. When I picked him up to clean him, noticed alot of dry cruty skin around face and chest. Not acting right, lethargic. Smelled funny too. Noticed tiny red bugs all over him. Got some mite dust and when I just checked on him, his eyes were shut again. I dusted him, cleaned his eyes and as soon as his eyes were open he ate and drank a bit same as yesterday. I think he isn't eating becasue he can't see. Are the mites causing all these symptoms? I dusted all three birds becasueif one has mites they all have mites. Help please
So sorry to hear about your Silkies. If they were mine, I'd hurry & order some VetRx for poultry on Ebay; maybe even get 3 of the 2 oz. bottles shipped 1 or 2 day shipping. It can be used on their skin, in their eyes, in their nostrils, in their mouth/throat to swallow & in their water for drinking. Put it in a tiny spray bottle for ease of applying to each of them. It would help their respiratory areas greatly, maybe loosen the crusty stuff, the mites shouldn't like it, etc. I can't say enough about this product, it's great. Get the one for poultry. I like the "natural remedies. "I think that 3 bottles were around $25 & well worth it. Good luck, keep trying.
You may want to run out to Tractor supply or a feed store and get Ivomec Eprinex topical, and apply to the back of her neck, as well as all the others. My personal next step would be to treat for respiratory stuff with Tylan or Baytril, or LS-50. And vitamins and electrolytes. That would be me.
I would definitely bathe him with Adams Flea and Tick shampoo. Afterwards I would treat with VetRx and feed him his favorite foods and put electrolytes in his water. if that does not work you should consider treating with permetherin (sp?). Also, if he has mites then the others most likely do as well. I would hit the coop with water and TekTrol as well as DE and Sevens (which contains Permetherin)
I don't know because I have not experienced this, but I can tell you that mites are barely visible to the eye. I acquired a chicken this past summer that had mites... and when I picked that chicken up and went back into the house, the only indication was that when I was looking at my hands I would see a very tiny bug moving across my hands. Mites are tiny. I could only see the mites when they were moving. I took the insects, very carefully in a bag to the vets office for some feedback. They have microscopes to aid in the accurate diagnosis. I wish I could be more help. Would bathing the bird and keeping it under a heat lamp for the time being be an option? That way you can keep an eye on its eyes and beak. Keep it clean and as comfy as possible. I also make sure my birds are always hydrated. A syringe will help if the bird is not getting enough water on its own, and when they are sickly, they don't often get enough water for themselves. I hope your baby is doing better by now I wish you luck
