Please give some advice

[jcbeckner]

I had 8 chickens, 6 Rhode Island Reds, and 2 White leghorns. Anyway they are 2 years old, last fall 2 chickens started acting lethargic and had diarrhea plastered to their vents. Both of them perked up and were acting fine, but both of them the pin feathers were very noticeable at the vent area. About 2 months ago the Rhone Island Red got lethargic again, and died within 2 days. About a month later the white leghorn was acting fine except I was getting bloody egg, and I was pretty certain the bloody egg was coming from her, she died without any warning. Two days ago I was cleaning out their coop, and was pretty sure I saw bugs crawling about in there. I treated with DE because that is what I had on hand, and started searching to find what else to treat with. Today I went out to check on them, and one of my Rhode Island Reds would not leave the coop, she just stood at the door, but did not act as if any thing was wrong. My daughter came in a few hours later to tell me that the chicken was still in the coop, but she was laying down. I went out, and she is breathing slowly, but not quite dead yet. What do we do? I have Permethrin to dust the chickens with, and I plan to wash the coop out tomorrow, I have not done it yet because we keep getting rain, and I want the coop to be dry before I put bedding back in there. I am thinking I need to put the Permethrin in the cracks of the coop, and along the roost. Would the mites be killing the chickens that fast? Please give me some advice!!!

 

[Folly's place]

Chickens will act normal until they are so ill they can't 'pretend' anymore. If mites are the problem, get them all dusted ASAP! Wear a GOOD dust mask, or you won't be happy either. I use pyrethrins or Sevin, and also Ivermectin, as needed for external and internal parasites. Hens die for other reasons and would have to be posted to find out the actual cause of death. Mary

 

[jcbeckner]

Thank you, I dusted the chickens this afternoon, I was able to wash out their coop, and dust it as well. It rained shortly after I dusted them, so hopefully the dust did not all come off. The chickens decided it was a good day to stand out in the rain for some reason. The white leghorn has no feathers on her stomach, and just a few at her vent, and her vent is red with only a few feathers. It is not noticeable when I look at her just checking on them, but when we dusted her, it was very evident she is not a well bird. I am hoping we got her dusted in time to save her. The chickens have always given themselves dust baths by digging up soft dirt, and laying it, throwing it up on themselves, so I never bother with putting a dust bath container in the run, but I think I am going to get some dirt and sand/ash and put it in the run to encourage them to dust more often.