this post is for those of you like me with deaths in the flock and trying to work out why.
i have lost 8 to various symptoms ...roughly a bird a week. 2 died with respiratory symptoms though these were mild. 1 died with sour crop. all were very very thin, the weight dropped off.
symptoms not unlike coccidia. some neurological symptoms lite ataxia. ni was looking for a disease and nothing quite fit.
well last night i fetched the latest sick chick from the dark garage and turned him upside down for yet another look. i saw 2 red mites.
i had ruled out red mites for the following reasons.
if you think you don't have red mite..well nor did i. i was waiting to treat if i saw any.
my advice is to treat for prevention not cure. assume they are in your coop. if it is wooden and you haven't treated it they will be. if it is plastic you still might have them.
don't believe you will see most of the above symptoms as i didn't. all of my girls who last night i witnessed were being eaten alive were contentedly perching and look well. only one of my birds got sick and then they deteriorated fast. i would never have believed it possible that they could kill despite reading that anaemia and death could happen.
i will update as i try and fight this. so far i have treated each pullet/hen with frontline and used a steamer this morning on the shed. i pasted vaseline on the roosting poles and some are caught in that so will reapply tonight.
i have lost 8 to various symptoms ...roughly a bird a week. 2 died with respiratory symptoms though these were mild. 1 died with sour crop. all were very very thin, the weight dropped off.
symptoms not unlike coccidia. some neurological symptoms lite ataxia. ni was looking for a disease and nothing quite fit.
well last night i fetched the latest sick chick from the dark garage and turned him upside down for yet another look. i saw 2 red mites.
i had ruled out red mites for the following reasons.
- Pale combs and wattles only once they get very sick, the flock looks well
- Decreased appetite not in most of the infested flock but yes once they are pretty weak
- Egg laying slows down or completely ceases not observed as the ones dying were POL
- i saw no blood specks on any eggs and i regularly looked.
- Chickens reluctant to perch. all of mine went in happily and perched until too sick to do so.
- Chickens reluctant to return to the coop at dusk, preferring to hang close to the coop in the dark. not observed
- Using a piece of white kitchen paper or cloth, wipe underneath the length of the perch – blood smears indicates red mite are present. i did this at dusk and found nothing.
- Check the inside of the coop with a torch just after dark, quietly and carefully shine the torch on the walls, roof space and perches. If you have red mite you might be able to see small dot like creatures (grey or red when fully fed on your hens blood) moving around.i did this at dusk and saw nothing.
if you think you don't have red mite..well nor did i. i was waiting to treat if i saw any.
my advice is to treat for prevention not cure. assume they are in your coop. if it is wooden and you haven't treated it they will be. if it is plastic you still might have them.
don't believe you will see most of the above symptoms as i didn't. all of my girls who last night i witnessed were being eaten alive were contentedly perching and look well. only one of my birds got sick and then they deteriorated fast. i would never have believed it possible that they could kill despite reading that anaemia and death could happen.
i will update as i try and fight this. so far i have treated each pullet/hen with frontline and used a steamer this morning on the shed. i pasted vaseline on the roosting poles and some are caught in that so will reapply tonight.
