Updated 1-15-11 Very sick hen; not egg bound; diarrhea, droopy, standing upright

[BamaSilkies]

Have you wormed them lately? I know you said you sent a sample to the vet but if do a search on here you will see that its not always a 100%. I would say low production, tail down might be a good chance that worms could be heavy. Worms can also cause anemia or could weaken the chicken enough to make it susectible to other illness such as respiratory. I had some that had same symptoms and that was their problem. I had a few day before I figured it out.

 

[pigcoon]

The vet is checking another sample straight from this hen. It will be ready tomorrow. What do you suggest I worm them with (anyway) if that sample comes up negative again? I don't have many people to ask in real life here. I guess this would be a good time to treat them since none of them are laying anyway.

 

[BamaSilkies]

I am kind of new to this but I am an avid researcher. Most people on here suggest using Wazine for first dosage and then something a little stronger in 10 days. I alternate. I worm 2 times a yr unless it has been an unusually rainy season then I do 3 times a yr. I use wazine first worming and then alternate on the 2nd dosage between Ivermectin and Safeguard for horses. The wazine goes in the water. The Ivermectin can go on the bird or orally. Safeguard can go in the water or give pea size amount to adult or a little less for younger birds orally. Other people also use Valbazen.

 

[Tracy the chick]

Hi there, do you use Apple Cider Vinegar? I would start your whole flock on it. ACD is acidic and acidicy means ACD is a mild anticeptic and will kill a number of germs. In addition to this it is claimed to act like a mild antibiotic. Its full of vitamins & minerals. It has been proven to help with stress which is one of the main contributors in there immune system lowing and letting in diseases. Use for 1 week per month.. A lot of our birds will catch things ie worms etc, and what usually happens is there immune system lowers and they end up with secondry infections..good luck hun and i hope you find out whats wrong

Tracy x

 

[toyzbox]

Tracy, what is the mix of cedar vinager to water that you use???

 

[Tracy the chick]

Quote:
Hi, you use 10mls per 1 litre of fresh water or 2 table spoons per 1 litre. I do this for 1 week per month, i do know a lot of people who use it for 2 weeks per month... Hope this helps hun. Tracy x

 

[pigcoon]

I just did some more research on this site and realized you do need to use the organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar. I'm going to have to hunt around a bit for that, but it sounds well worth it. Recall my whole flock (5) is not laying well since July and I think this could help all of them. I'm going to try to find some today.

 

[skycladfaerielady]

IMO The best wormer for chickens is SafeGuard For Goats. 1 oz per gallon of water for 3 days. 10 day egg withdrawal & no need to repeat. Unlike most poultry wormers, it also kills Cecal Worms, one of the most common in poultry.

 

[Tracy the chick]

Quote:
I also use 'Diatom' its for mites and wormes and i swear by it. You sprinkle it over bedding, coop, food & run. When the chicken eats it id disolves any worms that might be in there. My friends chickens stopped laying and i told her to use it, im not sure what it was but the hens started laying again after a couple of days! Maybe somebody else might explain this. Its well worth a try.. if you cant find organic ACV dont worry the normal ACV is just as good...Tracy.x

 

[Dora'smom]

Bragg's is a common brand of ACV with the "mother" in it. This is what you really want if you would like to have the full benefit. When you look at the bottle, it should be murkey, and have sediment. If you use this, you would want to shake it first, to suspend the particles of sediment.
Diatom probably is short for diatomaceous earth. It is a naturally occurring substance. I believe it is the fossilized remains of tiny sea creatures. There are several grades, and what you want is the food grade. It is often more difficult to find than the pool grade, but the pool grade has additives that would be harmful to birds. Food grade should say "food grade" or "food codex" on the bag. Try different feed stores for this (you may have to ask for it), rather than finding it on the shelf, and you should check around regarding prices, as there may be a wide variation. Once you have it, you can dust the entire coop and run with it, if you like. It is a good idea to use a mask when working with it, as it is very fine, like flour, and can be inhaled by you---which can be hazardous.