Wasting Silkies

[sheeshshe]

i have the silkie group, and also the large fowl group. They're side by side. their runs are next to each other with just the fence in between. they're not affected by this either!

I checked for lice and mites and didn't see any. how hard are mites to see? I've seen lice before, so I know what those look like and I know how to locate them. i didn't visibly see mites, but could I easily miss them?

if the safeguard doesn't work, do I need to get one for tape worms next?? I just wish I knew what was going on and not taking a shot in the dark.

 

[casportpony]

You should dust all of your birds even if you can't see and bugs, they are very good at hiding. Take your thinnest, dust him, put him in a covered box on paper towels. Come back in an hour and see if there are any bugs on the towel. If there are, you'll need to treat your coop, too.

 

[casportpony]

FWIW, I have never wormed any of mine for tapes. I have no idea how serious a problem it is in poultry.

 

[sheeshshe]

Ok, I can do that, good idea!

 

[Haunted55]

i have the silkie group, and also the large fowl group. They're side by side. their runs are next to each other with just the fence in between. they're not affected by this either!

I checked for lice and mites and didn't see any. how hard are mites to see? I've seen lice before, so I know what those look like and I know how to locate them. i didn't visibly see mites, but could I easily miss them?

if the safeguard doesn't work, do I need to get one for tape worms next?? I just wish I knew what was going on and not taking a shot in the dark.

Unfortunately taking the shot in the dark is usually the only route available with poultry. You can make educated guesses and as Casportpony has suggested do the trick with the smallest bird. You have to start somewhere and work your way through. Sometimes birds come from 'bad' or weak stock. If as you say it is only the birds from a certain person or place that are showing the symptoms, I think you have your answer. It's a hard lesson to learn but once you do you will never forget it.

For the tapes, I think you can see the segments in their poop. I know I have read that some say they have found it that way. Not sure never seen it myself. Mites and stuff are just something you assume you have and dust for them and give them a dusting box so they can keep themselves mostly free from them as well. A good mix for that is sand, DE, spaghnum moss, wood ash or barn lime if you don't have the ashes and a sprinkle of Sevin. Keep it dry and it will last a long while.

 

[sheeshshe]

Ok here are the weight totals:

Lucia-(just started laying) 1 pound 13 oz
Boy George (rooster) 2 pounds 12 oz
Snowcone (rooster-the one acting funny) 2 pounds 5 oz
Pompette- (2 year old hen) 1 pound 14 oz


I just dusted Snowcone and he's in the box for an hour. I'll let you know on that. They're due for the second dose of the wormer on Wednesday.

 

[sheeshshe]

I dusted snowcone and I just checked on him and it looks as though there was some sort of bug that died with the dusting. they were a tan color and small, sort of shaped like a sesame seed.

also, he had 2 poops in the box and they were bright green.

 

[Skipspin]

My daughter's 3 silkies died mysteriously. They all matured, the roster crowed, but were over 33 weeks and no eggs. We live in Florida and our other hens were laying, so it wasn't weather. They weren't in super great condition, but weren't wasting either. Within 48 hours they all died. Just stopped acting normal, stopped eating, and died. The last one especially we tried all sorts of things with and nothing helped. We had two other pullets in with them (Mutt game hens) and they never showed any symptoms. So, I really think it was something genetic or due to breeding. We've never lost another chicken from any sickness other than one or two day-old chicks that we don't know the reason.

We had recently treated for worms since one of our (perfectly healthy) chickens had them. They got Wazine, then Valbazen, but it was long enough before that the worming couldn't have been the problem either. We just figured it was a good time to worm them since they hadn't layed and we wouldn't have to toss the eggs. Unfortunately, the poeple we got them from moved after we bought them so I couldn't find out if they had problems with their birds- and they lived 2 hours away.

I hope your other chicken recovers. My daughter daughter decided to skip silkies after they died, but them someone gave us a small flock for free two weeks ago. The hen is already laying so we shall see what happens.

 

[sarjaysar]

I've also had a couple of silkies pass away mysteriously. No sour crop / no worms. They were in great condition, only young and nice shiny eyes etc. Just stopped eating and passed away. I tried everything to save them, but once they give up they give up. No real answers i'm afraid.

 

[sheeshshe]

I've also had a couple of silkies pass away mysteriously. No sour crop / no worms. They were in great condition, only young and nice shiny eyes etc. Just stopped eating and passed away. I tried everything to save them, but once they give up they give up. No real answers i'm afraid.

very very strange, isn't it?? I wonder what it could be!