The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: I do think the whitewash will work for you if you can get the eggs in the crevices taken care of.

Are the mites you are seeing black, white, or red?

 

[Shan30]

try this:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/07/flystrike-in-backyard-chickens-causes.html

or basically clean by soaking and removing as much dead skin and all maggots. I wouldn't hesitate to use nustock, or if you don't have it, sulfur powder mixed with a balm base such as bag balm, vaseline, coconut oil, etc.  Isolate and repeat as needed.  If there is a docile hen you could add as a buddy, I would do that after a few days and only on a day when I could keep an eye to make sure there was no picking.  Depending on the wound you could also spray with bluekote before adding a buddy.  Add lots of pecking targets to the isolation cage/area so the buddy has lots of things to peck at beside the sick hen.  (scratch in the bedding might work too).

I wouldn't cull as I would wonder if the tail was a result of the dead skin/infection/maggots....

also would do good inspection of vent areas on all your flock....
good luck

and pics?

I can whip up a new batch of nustock tonight. Unfortunately working a side job after work and will be super late.

The reason I questioned culling with this girl is that she has had a down turned tail since she feathered out. She's about 5-1/2 months old and has been thoroughly inspected many times looking for a cause and other than always having a messy bum, she's had no injuries or anything that would cause it. The only thing I can figure is that it's either genetic or a deformity. I've been wondering what will happen when she starts to lay, whether her body shape will allow for it.

I did check a few others while I was at it and everyone looks great. I just didn't have the time to check 40 birds last night.

Never thought about the salt and vinegar hurting, was just thinking of cleaning the wound and had read about doing this for fly strike. Still wondering if a good soak might not help clean her up a bit.

Luckily I have a confinement area that right in the coop so whenever a bird is in there they do not lose their position in the flock and it seems less stressful for everyone when they can stay in the coop.

 

[lalaland]

Leahs mom, no need for a fecal test because the last poop I saw was that wormy - 5 or 6 separate round worms, quite large. No doubt in my mind at all. And that has to be a pretty bad infestation for that many to be in one poop.

I have been researching using true gum turpentine (that is pure, distilled , not from petroleuom) but am uncertain about that dosing.

I do think some slowing down due to fall is likely, and to the oncoming molting, but feed decrease?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
I do think soaking would be good. The article that lala posted talked about the soaking too. I'd just use a bucket of warm water w/epsom salt. That should soften things up some and then you'll have to remove the maggots. One thing to really look at well - have they gone up into the vent. If they have, it can be almost impossible to take care of the whole infestation.

From your anatomy description and her age, I think I'd also question if she will be able to lay freely. And it does sound like you've had some problems with her over time...she's so young...
I'd probably be thinking the same thing as you about culling even though I always hold out hope.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Oh...and with the number of birds you have, I guess you have to weigh if it is something you want to spend time on in the light of the apparent health of the rest of the flock. In a perfectly natural situation (not in human captivity) this bird would likely not have survived as long as it has.

I'm curious...do the others single her out to ostracize at all?

 

[Shan30]

Oh...and with the number of birds you have, I guess you have to weigh if it is something you want to spend time on in the light of the apparent health of the rest of the flock.    In a perfectly natural situation (not in human captivity) this bird would likely not have survived as long as it has.

I'm curious...do the others single her out to ostracize at all?

Oddly enough they do not. She's definitely low on the pecking order but our flock coexist pretty nicely. We just removed the 10 cockerels the same age as her and even with those boys in there we really didn't have issues with behaviour.

I will investigate further tonight and make a decision based on her condition. Unfortunately hubby will be gone hunting for a week and I am working side jobs all weekend and then in another wedding next weekend so will be mostly taking care of the critters at night.

If I can get her cleaned up this time I fear that this will only happen repetitively and laying may kill her. So as much as I know some people will think badly of me for it, I may cull her. I don't want to start treating her, not be able to do so often enough and end up making her suffer. It will all depend on how bad the infection looks under there. Trust me I go to some extreme lengths frequently to save animals but I don't want to prolong suffering if the end result appears to be inevitable.

 

[Leahs Mom]

In a laying flock that are for production (not pets) it makes sense to cull in situations like this.

 

[lazy gardener]

I certainly hope that you don't let someone else's opinion flavor your decision to cull vs treat. It's way too easy for someone to sit on the sideline and dispense advice based on THEIR husbandry practices, and their view of chickens as pets vs livestock. There is no one size fits all answer for poultry health issues. I wish you the best.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I certainly hope that you don't let someone else's opinion flavor your decision to cull vs treat. It's way too easy for someone to sit on the sideline and dispense advice based on THEIR husbandry practices, and their view of chickens as pets vs livestock. There is no one size fits all answer for poultry health issues. I wish you the best.

X2. What I was wanting to convey but said much better.

 

[lazy gardener]

thank you. Shan, it sounds like you've "been slammed" before on this site (as have a lot of us...) Hope you let it roll off your back!