what is jiggers/giggers?? The vet said my chook has it.

[neesey]

heya, so my chook recently laid a soft egg and then stopped laying. The past two days she has done nothing but drink water and stand in the same place for hours at a time with her eyes slowly closing every so often. she has stopped eating which is so unlike this little savage. shes also so so quiete and is not making any noise even when picked up she doesnt squirm.

so worrid we brought her to the vet who examined her aand checked for blockage or eggs in her tummy. he took her temperature and concludedthat she had an infection called jiggers/giggers. so he just gave an antibiotic to put in her water for five days.

i have searched the internet in hope of finding more info on this but i cannot find anything i could be spelling it wrong.has anyone any experience of this and if so did your chicken pull through it and would you know where i could get info on this?

unfortunately timenwas against us in the vets and we couldnt asi in depth qustions about this.

any input would be so appreciated as this is our first experience of a sick hen and honestly findng it upsetting to see poor flossy so down and out.

shes 7months.

THanks a million

 

[speckledhen]

Never heard that term-must be something they say over your way-but it sounds like Egg Yolk Peritonitis, which is a reproductive infection.

 

[dawg53]

The only jiggers I've heard of is either a shot glass of liquor or a red bug (chigger.) We call them red bugs here. If a person or animal gets them, they'll itch you to death. They like the moist dark areas to burrow into the flesh and suck blood. Scratching them alot can possibly cause a secondary infection, hence an antibiotic treatment. I've had red bugs, I usually put fingernail polish on the raised welts repeatedly and they smother to death in a few days...no more itching. It would be tough to do on a chicken...if that's what he means by "jiggers."
http://ugandavillageproject.blogspot.com/2010/11/jigger-invasion-of-busoga-region.html

 

[neesey]

heya thanks for the reply thats what i first thought when he said jiggers but he said it wasnt bugs lol

wish he had used the medical term would have been easier to find info lol

 

[neesey]

heya thanks for your reply nope its not that he did say it wasnt peritonitus hmmmm i wonder

 

[rikithemonk]

Chiggers are small insects that live in Florida. if they get on you they move onto your skin and find a tight place like under a sock. they then burrow under the skin leaving only a small breathing tube sticking out. They are killed by painting the wound with nail polish which suffocates them.







Riki

 

[dawg53]

I even checked the Merck veterinary manual...nothing there relating to that term. You might want to call or check back with him or one of his assistants for further explanation.

 

[CorinneP]

jiggers and chiggers are often called the same thing but it refers to a harvest mite ..

 

[rikithemonk]

You can always tell the difference between a Florida Native and a tourist. Anyone living in Florida will treat grass as if it was molten lava. They never cross the lawn to get to the car, they will use the sidewalk, even though its twice the distance. Tourists can be seen sitting it the lush grass casually chatting together. Enjoying the sun and the beautiful day. Poor unsuspecting fools.

Florida is infested with South American Fire ants. Once bitten by a fire ant, you will never ever forget it. Especially since unlike other ants that attack individually, The entire colony comes after you. Between the Fire ants, the Chiggers, and the three inch (Flying) roaches, Floridians have learned to avoid the grass.

Riki

 

[dawg53]

You can always tell the difference between a Florida Native and a tourist. Anyone living in Florida will treat grass as if it was molten lava. They never cross the lawn to get to the car, they will use the sidewalk, even though its twice the distance. Tourists can be seen sitting it the lush grass casually chatting together. Enjoying the sun and the beautiful day. Poor unsuspecting fools.

Florida is infested with South American Fire ants. Once bitten by a fire ant, you will never ever forget it. Especially since unlike other ants that attack individually, The entire colony comes after you. Between the Fire ants, the Chiggers, and the three inch (Flying) roaches, Floridians have learned to avoid the grass.

Riki

AND you dont go walking in the woods in Georgia or Florida until after the first frost! LOL