something is wrong with two of my girls....

[prettygreenegg]

one hurt her leg. she limps around. I picked her up and took her outside and she was eatting grass! inside she didn't seem real interrested in her food. I'm guessing I should make some cooked eggs for her.

the other one has feathers missing around her butt. she acts like she keeps trying to poop. the feathers look like they are wet or thinning out. I tried to get a pic but this is the best I could do.



I also treated one for mites. the one that hurt her leg. I have been putting stuff in there bedding for mites. this is the first time I put it on them. one of the chic's is pecking at this ones but also. and I had a flea land on me so I'm wondering about flea's.

what a mess all at once. will the one with a hurt leg survive? she is my favorite.
thanks,
Ginny

 

[chickenzoo]

I would bath both of them in warm soapy water, so you can see more what you are dealing with.... Biting mites often hang around the vent area etc.... And they can make a chicken weak, often when they get weak they may limp and move slowly, look pale in the face... Also worms can weaken them, even if you don't see worms in poo.

 

[prettygreenegg]

Will i see the mites in the bath water? Would it be easier to find a vet that will make a house call? Most of the girls run from me. Sothis one would be lots of fun to give a bath to. And what makes them get the worms.

 

[chickenzoo]

You may see them in the water or running on the wet bird, water makes it a little easier to see them. If you have a vet that would see them, then that may help... But check them first for mites. Worms they just get from the ground or wild birds etc... They step in poo that has worm eggs, clean off their foot and injest them, them get worms etc...

 

[Lacy Blues]

Are those pictures from above or below? It looks to me like her back end is bloody. Either the one pecking at her caused it or something else happened and it has attracted the other to peck at her. You can use cat flea treatments on a chicken if she has fleas. Use cat though, not dog treatments. Cats lick themselves and so ingest some of the stuff and its safe. Chickens preen and will also ingest. Dogs... they don't care that much. So you can put stronger stuff on a dog. Fleas could also be making her bleed. I would wash her with cat flea shampoo and then after you dry her, maybe treat her with some kind of cat flea powder or if there's a dip you can use on her and then dry her. Apply Blu Kote to her wounds if that is what I'm seeing, after you get her all cleaned up.

You're sure it was a flea and not a mite? Mites are very small but red or black like a flea. They don't move that quickly though.

Depending on how cold its been where you are, your chicken might just LOVE having a nice warm bath.

Eating grass? Not a problem. Chickens love grass... as long as it is short, it shouldn't cause any problems and it will make her egg yolks a nice dark yellow/orange color. Lots of Vit A.

You might look at the bottoms of the feet of the limping girl. Make sure she doesn't have any injuries or other issues, such as bumblefoot. Lots of posts on here of how to take care of that if you find that's what she has. I don't see why just limping around would cause her to die on you. Be at peace.

 

[prettygreenegg]

Thanks everyone for your help! I found a vetrinarian who travels to different sites. Im going to take them both in on friday. It is only 18 per bird plus meds if needed. Other places were a lot more.

 

[dirtbowlchick]

I practice flipping my chickens all the time so they let me look for mites, breast blisters or what have you. Mites and lice are a big problem for me, and I clean my coop a lot. Fresh straw, removing poops daily etc. Yes the d_ _ n lice love to congregate in little clusters around the vent, and the feathers more towards the belly often have
clusters of little white eggs at the base, easily visible to the eye. Lice also love the back of the head and the throat, right under the jaw. When I see thIs going on I bathe my birds immediately. They love a bath with a rubdown and a hair dryer blowout at the end. Well, they love it after their initial "I'm being murdered!" reaction. Every bath makes them that much tamer with me, too. If I'm in a hurry, I dab a blob of Vaseline on the lice till I can get back to them. The Vaseline has worked great at smothering them. While you're at it, Vaseline is great on their legs (protects leg scales) and combs, wattles, earlobes, too.

 

[dirtbowlchick]

You got a bargain! City vets don't know anything about chickens, I've learned the hard way. A home visit? Heck, no! The vets I've tried talk a great game and will give you a broad-spectrum antibiotic, then charge you upwards of $75. I don't mind paying for intelligent care, but even my dog's vet, who loves chickens and has a flock, admits that often chickens just die, mysteriously, or heal on their own. Most of us are stuck with palliative care.

 

[prettygreenegg]

I have her a bath today. the one that looked like mites or something. I have updated pictures. I did not see any bugs. I don't know what lice look like. it looks like missing feathers. around her but and a few spots on her back and the top off her wings. she has graying feathers everywhere. could she be molting. I know its not the time but is it possible? and my rhode island red is picking at her. taking feathers out. same with the other one. rhode island red is picking on both.

Are those pictures from above or below? It looks to me like her back end is bloody. Either the one pecking at her caused it or something else happened and it has attracted the other to peck at her. You can use cat flea treatments on a chicken if she has fleas. Use cat though, not dog treatments. Cats lick themselves and so ingest some of the stuff and its safe. Chickens preen and will also ingest. Dogs... they don't care that much. So you can put stronger stuff on a dog. Fleas could also be making her bleed. I would wash her with cat flea shampoo and then after you dry her, maybe treat her with some kind of cat flea powder or if there's a dip you can use on her and then dry her. Apply Blu Kote to her wounds if that is what I'm seeing, after you get her all cleaned up.

You're sure it was a flea and not a mite? Mites are very small but red or black like a flea. They don't move that quickly though.

Depending on how cold its been where you are, your chicken might just LOVE having a nice warm bath.

Eating grass? Not a problem. Chickens love grass... as long as it is short, it shouldn't cause any problems and it will make her egg yolks a nice dark yellow/orange color. Lots of Vit A.

You might look at the bottoms of the feet of the limping girl. Make sure she doesn't have any injuries or other issues, such as bumblefoot. Lots of posts on here of how to take care of that if you find that's what she has. I don't see why just limping around would cause her to die on you. Be at peace.