Millie-Annie Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Josie is an ex-batt. I have had her since December. She has always been the lowest ranking, but she also has an element of victim about her. As soon as the others look at her she squawks and runs away. Over the last week or so she has been getting quieter. Her back end looks a bit mucky but she was until a couple of days ago still laying. Over the last couple of days she has been quieter. I worried about the dreaded peritonitis, but her undercarriage isn't hot or swollen. She just keeps sitting down, and when she is upright she is trying to get at something underneath or behind her. So tonight I stood her on the table and went over her with a fine toothcomb and I spotted around her vent area little running things. They were reddy brown, but bigger than red mite. I would like to prevent a trip to the vet as it is quite a run in a hot car, which is why I am asking you, because I want to get the right treatment and do the right thing. I feel guilty I have let her get so run down, so what do you think these are and what do I do? The ex-batts sleep together, but the wonderful Marigold has a separate apartment so has hopefully escaped it. Thank you all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 If they are reddish-brown and a bit like head lice then they will be regular poultry lice. Northern Fowl Mites are dark grey and very small. Treatment for both is described in the sticky at the top of the chicken clinic section. There are also a good many other threads on the subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 Thank you. I took her to the vets and he gave her an antibiotic injection, as he said she was far too poorly for it to just be mites. He said the mites were standard chicken mites and in a healthy bird the balance is in favour of the chicken, but in Josie's state the mites were winning. So he also gave her something that he put onto her comb, some sort of spot on I presume. He said to give the others a good covering in Diatoms which I have done. She had some rice and marmite and ate it, well the bit she could without being attacked by Ivy. Ivy and Mary are in the sin bin for now as I don't think she can cope with all four of them. Hopefully she will pick up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Lice will be attracted to an ailing bird, so try feeding her up; Marmite isn't brilliant TBH and rice doesn't have any nutritional value for them. Try her on some mealworms as they are full of protein and Nutri-drops are brilliant for picking up a poorly bird. It may just be that she has some condition which you can't help with but she could also just need a bit of TLC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 30, 2012 Author Share Posted May 30, 2012 oh, I was told to give them marmite as B6 is really good for them? Is that not the case? I was also told not to bother with mealworms as although they love them there is no goodness in them whatsoever I will get her some mealworms tomorrow and I have some Avipro which I can put in her water. She does have apple cider vinegar in the water. I think she has some kind of laying problem, typical of an ex batt to be honest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Marmite contains B6 but it is also rather salty; hens can't metabolise salt. Giving a good poultry tonic in the water will be fine, or some Nutri-drops, which also contain B vits and Biotin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 30, 2012 Author Share Posted May 30, 2012 Thank you I will go and get some tomorrow. I used to put a tonic in, can't remember what it was called but it was dark red? Then I swapped to the cider vinegar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 ACV is a general conditioner and a gut health improver, Life-Guard is a good liquid tonic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angeluk69 Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 I've been giving my girls a poultry tonic, just as a pick me up in this ever changing weather we are having. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 30, 2012 Author Share Posted May 30, 2012 Battles Poultry Drink - 500ml That was the one I used. Thank you for your help. To be honest I don't think she will recover, but I will give her the best chance I can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 There may be some underlying issue that isn't immediately apparent. Battles is an old make of poultry tonic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 30, 2012 Author Share Posted May 30, 2012 is it any good, as I have some left? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 I don't use it myself (I'd be concerned about anything with that amount of colouring in it) but finish it off if you want then get one of the newer generation of tonics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Whatever you decide to use in the water dont use more than one thing at a time as they can have opposite effects so either Avipro, tonic OR ACV in the water (personally I would choose tonic) battles tonic isnt as advanced as some of the modern ones but its been around for years for a reason You can get powdered B vits for Pigeons which can be added to the feed, I use 'B Pure' its very inexpensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 30, 2012 Author Share Posted May 30, 2012 Thank you. I still don't think she will recover, but I will get some tonic and I will get her some meal worms tomorrow. I am keeping Mary and Ivy in the sin bin for now, they are so not happy She can cope with the other two, but she is such a victim. As soon as one appears in her line of vision she stops eating and moves away, even if they have no interest in her or what she is eating Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 She looked a lot brighter tonight and really enjoyed her mealworms. They only sold Johnsons chicken tonic where I went to day and I figured Battles in probably better than that. She retreated back into her sad, fluffed up, eyes closed mode when she got attacked by Ivy and Mary who I only let out to stretch their legs, so back into the sin bin they go. One thing though, how long should the spot on take to kill the mites, only she is still pecking at herself and I can still them when I lift her feathers round her back end? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 It is systemic, so will kill any which bite her. I'd give it 24 hours then spray any which you can still see on her. Whilst I am cautious about using treatments like this on an ailing hen, the lice will be making her situation far worse, so getting rid of them will only help her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 I don't know what the vet treated her with so which spray would you recommend, and obviously I will need to see if I can get it locally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 If you take a lice infested chicken to the vet, they will recommend using a spray containing permethrin, please note that this is not licensed for use on poultry in the UK, but is prescribed off-label. Those most commonly used are either the Johnson's Anti-mite spray (blue can with budge on) or the NetTex Mite-Kill spray which is in a red can. I use the latter but, of course, can't possible recommend that you use it the vet would suggest 2 treatments a week apart... spray it on the skin under the feathers wherever you can see lice (usually around the vent, under the wings and in the 'leg-pits'. It will turn the skin a bit pink very briefly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 Sorry to be a pain, I just don't want to get it wrong So I can use that today, on top of whatever the vet used on Tuesday? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 (edited) No worries at all Yes, it sounds as if the vet used a systemic, most likely one which contains ivermectin. If you look at the lice and mites sticky at the top of the chicken clinic section there are descriptions and tips about these various products. Edited June 1, 2012 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 thank you so much for all your help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
