Rascalmyshadow Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 I know this is not dogs but I need to find a home for our chookies ASAP. We have had so many bad things going on recently and just to add to the problem two of the dogs seem to be having a reaction to having the chooks around. We aren't sure if they are reacting to their food, bedding or even lice etc. I have exhausted all options trying to work it out and have also spent a fortune treating everybody with revo, moxidectin, pestene and even sprayed the decking/sleeping quarters and bombed the house. I have been bathing them twice a week and they are still scratching like mad neither dog has ever been an itchy dog until the chooks arrived. We have not changed anything else. I adore our chooks but the dogs were here first and I can't stand seeing them like this it is making me very stressed. Our girls are super friendly, the three big girls are like dogs will follow you everywhere and the two little girls and rooster are the same and they are happy to be picked up and cuddled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe001 Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 The forum http://forum.backyardpoultry.com/ will probably be the place to post. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Do you need to spray the chooks for lice? How do the dogs access the chooks' food and bedding? I would think it would definitely be best to pen the chooks and keep access to their living area closed if you let them out. I'm guessing you are using straw and there could be allergies to that so can you cut off the access? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katdogs Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 You could try Porsche's rescue, though I think she's more into bunnies and guinea pigs. Have you put anything in the off-topic backyard poultry thread? Wish I could have them but not in the right situation at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rascalmyshadow Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share Posted May 22, 2014 (edited) Our girls free range 24/7 the three big girls are too big to be confined. I use wood shavings for the nest box which is a plastic dog kennel that can be cleaned thoroughly. They sleep perched on a snooza flea free dog bed on our decking. We have a coop for them but they don't like it. The bantams put them selves to bed in the cage they were raised in in the carport again they don't like their coop either. I think they all like to be as close to us and the dogs as they can at night. We have sprayed and dusted them all also used oral medication. Their food is at ground level and there is no way to keep the dogs from it unless its in a pen. If I put it up and use a ramp the dogs can still reach it my chihuahua is like a cat. We will try to rehome the bantams a d see if we can manage the big girls but I am so stressed and exhausted. Edited to add: I'm in the hospital today but my husband is going to try and get some diatomaceous earth and some other stuff we can use around the garden to get rid if possible lice etc. Edited May 22, 2014 by Rascalmyshadow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal House Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Maybe try Edgar's Mission at Kilmore, theyd either take them or point you in the right direction. http://www.edgarsmission.org.au/ I love chookies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rascalmyshadow Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share Posted May 22, 2014 Thank you I am very upset but I have to put the dogs first and we really can't afford to spent a fortune if the dogs get major skin problems we are still paying off a huge vet bill for saving our dog from parvo. I also can't keep losing so much sleep because the dogs are keeping me awake half the night, I am supposed to be recovering when I get home this arvo instead I'm going to be stressing about the animals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal House Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Try not to stress, i know its easier said than done, but firstly put the chickens in their coops, whether they like it or not doesn't really matter, your health and sanity come first. So until you can rehome them, chicken coops for all feathery ones, they'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loreley Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I'm probably already suggesting things you've already tried but thought I'd throw it out there just in case :) - do you get itchy when you handle the chickens Rascalmyshadow ?? that's how you will generally know if its mites or lice. - wild birds will bring them in so DE in the dust bathing area is a good move (the wild birds will also dust bathe in it and demite themselves) which hopefully will stop the mites coming into the yard. - DE will need to be redone after rain as water deactivates it. - you can ivamectin (moxidectin) the chooks as well the same stuff you use for the dogs (3 drops for bantams under the wing directly on skin,4 for large girls) - you bagging or burning any litter you remove before cleaning? that would happen to be the most common mistake (spreading it on the garden) which will only spread the infestation. - pyrethrum spray you can get in concentrated form and diluted down (from places like Bunnings in the garden section) can be used as a dip for the chickens as well as a spray that you can drench everything else in including the ground. if its the food that the dogs are reacting to it could be one of the grains in the mix/pellet. I would be definitely set a pen up for the girls that has been thoroughly covered in pyrethrum first and isolate them completely from the dogs and see if it helps. Chickens are creatures of habit so they will not like it initially but they do get use to things fairly quickly so don't fret about confining them. Hope that something in there might help, I feel for you its so hard and mites are an awful problem to get on top of if that is the issue, the first frost will kill them (little ray of light at the end of the tunnel). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Jus as another thought for the food. My chooks food is up on a birdbath, they don't need a ramp to get to it, they just launch themselves up there :D That way you won't need a ramp, even my teeny bantams get up there just fine :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rascalmyshadow Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share Posted May 22, 2014 Thank you guys you've given me some extra ideas to try. We've dealt with northern fowl mite once before a few years ago with our old chickens, I was getting bitten and I managed to catch a few and the vet put them under a microscope that's how we found out what we were dealing with, they made my poor dogs itch like mad. This time I can't find anything on the dogs and I haven't been bitten so I'm leaning towards lice or walking dandruff. Poor boys I've not long got home from hospital and they are still scratching so I gave them both cortisone and they have settled. What ever it is it doesn't seem to be affecting my chi, she is the only short cost in the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Thank you guys you've given me some extra ideas to try. We've dealt with northern fowl mite once before a few years ago with our old chickens, I was getting bitten and I managed to catch a few and the vet put them under a microscope that's how we found out what we were dealing with, they made my poor dogs itch like mad. This time I can't find anything on the dogs and I haven't been bitten so I'm leaning towards lice or walking dandruff. Poor boys I've not long got home from hospital and they are still scratching so I gave them both cortisone and they have settled. What ever it is it doesn't seem to be affecting my chi, she is the only short cost in the house. You know that you can't stop and start with cortisone tablets don't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 (edited) A thought but are you sure it's the chooks? You don't have wandering jew or anything hiding in a corner of the garden by chance? (Only suggesting because it's popped up at our place quite recently, spread by birds i think) Edited May 22, 2014 by kelpiecuddles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rascalmyshadow Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share Posted May 22, 2014 Definitely something to do with the chooks have checked the yard thoroughly and the dogs have no rashes, scabs or bites anywhere. They seem to get worse in the evenings. Don't worry I worked in a vet clinic for almost 13 years and also dealt with a rescue poodle with major skin issues so I know how to use the cortisone, they will have a 3-4 day course that tapers off. Will give a few more of our options a try, hopefully something works very quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panto Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Nothing helpful but just want to wish you luck. Such a tough run you've had and this too. I hope you catch a break soon. Sending positive thoughts to you and your crew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 Nothing helpful but just want to wish you luck. Such a tough run you've had and this too. I hope you catch a break soon. Sending positive thoughts to you and your crew Backing up Panto's wishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hankdog Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 You are having a rough time Rascal. Where are you and what breed are the little ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rascalmyshadow Posted May 25, 2014 Author Share Posted May 25, 2014 I am on the mornington peninsula in Victoria. The little guys are pekin bantams. Hopefully we can avoid giving them up, my husband has put into action some of the ideas a few wonderful DOLers have suggested. He has also half built an off ground cubby for them to eat, sleep and lay in so the dogs will have no way to reach any if their food or bedding. We will put it on our patio so they are happy to use it instead of up the yard where their coop is. Hopefully with everything in place we can avoid any more problems with our dogs. If it doesn't work we will definitely need to look at rehoming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hankdog Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 That's a shame, a bit far from me otherwise I could have taken the little girls. My rooster it appears might be allergic to sawdust shavings. He wheezes like an asthmatic so that might be a problem for dogs too. I use ivermectin on them every three months and it's excellent. I hope it all comes good and you get a bit if a break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 That's a shame, a bit far from me otherwise I could have taken the little girls. My rooster it appears might be allergic to sawdust shavings. He wheezes like an asthmatic so that might be a problem for dogs too. I use ivermectin on them every three months and it's excellent. I hope it all comes good and you get a bit if a break. Sounds like he has scarred lungs. It often happens after a respiratory disease (CRD). You don't always know when your chooks has CRD or similar as they dont always display symptoms. It can give their lungs long term damage though which makes them wheeze, sometimes a lot sometimes when just exerting themselves, when stressed or too hot. Best to put your Roo on some quality antibiotics "just in case". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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