What is killing my chickens?

[Chick345]

I am very punctilious about getting rid of mites. I check my birds for mites all the time and I treat them with DE. I know a lot about mites, and I don't think it's the case. Thanks for the suggestion though

I'm not in CA, sorry :/

REALLY? You know a lot about mites? Please Help me then. I live In Washington and I get chicken mites every summer. Or what looks like chicken mites. How do I get rid of them?

Thanks for your Help!

~Eliana

 

[BantamFan4Life]

REALLY? You know a lot about mites? Please Help me then. I live In Washington and I get chicken mites every summer. Or what looks like chicken mites. How do I get rid of them?

Thanks for your Help!

~Eliana

I use Diatomaceous Earth (DE), which is an all natural powder that you sprinkle on the areas with mites. DE kills all the living mites. To get rid of the mite eggs, pluck the feathers they are attached to. If that doesn't work, use Ivermectin which is a dewormer. If you have problems in the summer, it is usually the northern fowl mite, I believe. Also, sprinkle DE on the bedding and roosts in case they are in there.

 

[Chick345]

Cool thanks

~Eliana

 

[Wol1]

Thanks for the studies. Rigorous scientific experiments is definitely the way to go.

To summarize the above studies:

The first: Published 1985. Pullets were started on high calcium diets at age 50 days... about 7 weeks. The chickens were divided into four groups and given rations with different combinations of calcium and phosphorus. The normal calcium (1%), normal phosphorus group had no urolithiasis at 18 or 51 weeks. Of the high calcium (3.5%) normal phosphorus group, 1% had urolithiasis at 18 weeks and 12% of the remainder had it at 51 weeks. Of the normal calcium, low phosphorus group, none of the pullets had urithiasis at 18 weeks, and 2% or the remainder had it at 51 weeks. Of the high calcium low phosphorus group, 14% had urolithiasis at ages 18 weeks and 14% of the remaining group members had urithiasis after 51 weeks. Urolithiasis is kidney stones.

2nd one: In this experiment hens were fed excess calcium beginning at 6 weeks through 32 weeks then were divided into three groups to determine the effect of an acidified diet vs a normal diet vs an alkalinized diet on the development of uroliths (kidney stones). The hens on the acidified diet had no uroliths at 52 weeks of age, compared to 8% of those on the normal diet and 13% of those on the alkalinized diet.

The 3rd: This article is about gout and kidney stones but sites no research. It does mention that gout and kidney stones may also be caused by infectious bronchitis or avian nephritis.

 

[Wol1]

The reference is valid, however that research is based on commercial egg farms where the pullets are raised with an 8 hour day till 16 weeks of age when it is gradually increased inducing ovulation of the entire flock within 2 weeks of each other. Backyard keepers and small holders don't have that control and can't predict if their birds are going to lay at 18 weeks or 30 weeks. Most of these small holders also don't keep bovans or hy-line hybrids either, which most egg farms use.

http://www.hyline.com/aspx/products/productinformation.aspx

OK. ???? I don't see how commercial vs small farm affects the results of a controlled laboratory experiment. I'm not able to find the report's source articles by Keshavan and Leeson, et al because they aren't online. However, this report was reviewed independently. "This report has been reviewed by a group other than the authors according to procedures approved by a Report Review Committee consisting of members of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine." It was then reviewed and approved by the board of the National Research Council. This is the only reference I can find regarding the effect of starting layer feed as early as 14 weeks. All the others are based on starting them on high calcium at 6 or 7 weeks, which isn't the point being discussed.

Anyway, yes, small holders. Two of my pullets started laying at 16 weeks after being fed the proper starter, starter/grower, grower/developer as per the package. Two more started laying the next week. I switched all of them to layer feed at week 17 and found the above research reassuring.

Hyline probably didn't exist at the time of these studies (1987).

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I appreciate you going for research rather than hearsay and random internet sources. Your birds started early and with a small flock it's easy to switch when they all start laying. I often have 8 or more flocks of various ages and normally a rooster with each flock so feeding a layer feed to birds not producing shells is something I avoid.

Commercial vs. small holder doesn't change the results. It's just that most people can't predict when their birds will start to lay.
There's very little research unrelated to the commercial industry because there's no money to support it.

 

[Wol1]

We are kindred. I like to come here to see what the community has experienced to get an idea where to start, but then I research, research, research. I've got two books about avian medicine saved in my documents and I just borrowed a couple from Ohio State Vet library through interlibrary loan to try to solve a couple other persistent problems. Paid $200+ to avian vets who did tests and went

.!!!!!!

I'm seriously thinking about getting a vet tech degree in self defense.


ANYWAY, we digress. BantamFan4Life how's the chick doing today?

 

[Aronia]

I got chicks when they were one day old and they all survived!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

We are kindred. I like to come here to see what the community has experienced to get an idea where to start, but then I research, research, research. I've got two books about avian medicine saved in my documents and I just borrowed a couple from Ohio State Vet library through interlibrary loan to try to solve a couple other persistent problems. Paid $200+ to avian vets who did tests and went

.!!!!!!

I'm seriously thinking about getting a vet tech degree in self defense.


ANYWAY, we digress. BantamFan4Life how's the chick doing today?

She seems to be doing okay. I decided to quarantine her because she seems to be doing a bit worse. I am thankful for my Japanese rooster though, without him, my showing would be a flop! I'm still not sure what she could have, and I was thinking about it last night. I don't think whatever has is a virus because usually birds catch other viruses from other birds. Well, my chickens aren't around any other birds or other chickens. That leads me to think it's most likely caused by bacteria or something environmental. Does that sound right? Wait, I just thought of something. I haven't checked her for bumblefoot...I should probably go check that in a minute. I doubt it would be that, but it could explain why she doesn't seem to want to go anywhere.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Many viruses, like Marek's are everywhere and no bird contact is necessary.

If your Japanese rooster has been anywhere near your sick bird or you haven't bathed and changed clothes between contact with the quarantined bird and the rest of your birds don't show any of them. People could be quite angry if they knew you were showing birds when you had an unknown serious illness in your flock.
You're just beginning and have lots of time to show birds. Go to the show and enjoy it but don't wear any of the clothes you work your chickens in, including shoes.