[primrose1]

My peking chicken has become very dull, listless and unbalanced on her legs, she has recently hatched four chicks and has been fine up till now (chicks are three weeks old). She has lice which I have treated her for which I have heard is a common problem when they have been broody and sitting on a nest for a long period of time. She has had an injection of long lasting antibiotic and a jab of vitamin B12. She is eating and drinking if I support her weight but she has lost all strength almost as if she is paralised she has now been un well for the last five days. Any ideas what this might be or anything esle I can do for her??

[Yorkie]

Welcome to the site, sorry it's with an ill chicken.

I'm going to move your post over to the Hen House, where questions about poultry go - and are more likely to be answered quickly.

[joyfull]

please check the coop for red mites, when broody they become a sitting target and can suffer very badly 

[joyfull]

also until you are sure about the red mite situation remove the broody and chicks to somewhere else, give her an electrolyte drink - hillfooter has a recipe for one on here - this may help her improve. The chicks will be ok to drink this and also provide a good chick crumb for them all.

[joyfull]

here you are:-

Hillfooters useful electrolyte can be made as follows;

Dissolve in 3 litres of water

5 ml of Salt substitute, (1 teaspoon of potassium chloride)
7.5 ml (1 and a half teaspoons) of Bicarbarbonate of soda (baking soda)
15 ml (3 teaspoons) salt

Use for 7 - 14 days

[orchardlady]

How's you broodie today? I think it sounds very much like she has an infestation of red mite. These little blighters quite literally suck the poor girl dry. She will be very very weak and will possibly die if not treated I know that sounds harsh but my first time experience of red mite many many yeas ago lead to the death of four of my hens and the description you have given sounds just like them.

Come back and ask and there are lots of ways of reducing and helping an infestation.

Orchardlady.

[primrose1]

My Chicken is the same today I have now seperated her from her chicks and I am syringing water into her mouth she eats if presented with food. What is the best way to treat red mite?

[orchardlady]

Hello Primrose.
Clean out the coop with as little disturbance of the bedding as possible. Double bag and dispose of away from your property.
If possible buy some Poultry Shield. If you cannot get hold of it very soon use washing up liquid. Scrub and rinse her house out with a good strong dilution of that. Then use either a hand held flower sprayer or a garden sprayer. Spray into every nook and cranny. Move the house onto fresh ground. Do this every 5 days for 3 weeks to be on the safe side and to get all the hatched mites killed as they hatch.

Put clean bedding back in the house and sprinkle DE (see below) into the bedding. Don't use much as it's perfectly warm and you need to get rid of this bedding every 5 days to, double bagged and away from your property.

After the three weeks is up mix up a batch of Diatomaceous Earth Slurry. Use water/Poultry Shield or a good animal disinfectant AND a big slug of washing up liquid. You are looking for a consistency of gloss paint or pouring custard. "Paint' the interior of your coop absolutely everywhere. You are looking for the bubble effect to keep you hen in the bubble of protection. The mite then have to negotiate the dried on slurry to get to your hen.

If you have other houses do the same with those.

Orchardlady.

[orchardlady]

sorry Primrose I meant to say put washing up liquid and water in the sprayer. Allow to dry then let you birds back in.

OL

[primrose1]

I am pleased to say that I think she is on the mend. She is being treated for cocilliosis, the vet recomended a vitamin supplement, antibiotics every 48hrs and treat her with a wormer and frontline spray. She is eating and drinking better today and generally more perky. So hopefully she is on the road to recovery!

[primrose1]

My peking hen is still not well I thought she was picking up but she still cannot stand on her own accord. She drinks when i syringe down her throat and eats a little but has very bad diarrhoea, but she is still hanging in there after over a week of being ill. Not sure what else I can do for her she is on drugs etc hate to see her like this.

[ANHBUC]

Please take the advice given for treatment/eradication of red mite.  They are that small and hide in the smallest of crevices in the coop you probably won't know they are there as they feed on your hen at night.

If you have a plastic pet carrier or could borrow one you could use that to put her in whilst treating her coop.   Good luck and let us know how you get on.