bird losing feathers

[deanbruton]

a stock bird purchased end of last year on its first yb nest is losing all body feathers any views or ideas to cure it or just leave the bird alone.

[Guest]

I would think that the bird has some sort of feather mites, the easiest cure would be to get some copper sulphate crystals, dissolve a few in a bucket of warm water and immerse the bird for a few seconds of course leaving the head out, this may have to be repeated for a few days on the run.

 

I had the same problem a few years ago and this method cured it

 

Good luck

[jimmy white]

agree with hyacinth about depluming mite, an old way of curing this was actually rubbing in and washing with the old fashioned carbolic soap

[Guest shadow]

you can also get a product from the chemist for treating scabies it is very good

[deanbruton]

thanks very much for your comments. Will give it a try, as I say it is only the one bird and until on yb's was fine, when they hatched all the front is completely bald with chunks out all over.

[T_T]

A tip from Frans Wildermershe.  

IF you can still get it, a capful of TUMBLEBUG, yes !! the garden product, into a bucketfull of warm water and add to it half a dozen drops of Fairy Liquid to allow the treated water to "cling" to the feathering.  Submerge your pigeons for fifteen twenty seconds ( not the head ) spreading their wings.  Do this just before roosting.  WON'T SEE ANOTHER MITE FOR TWO YEARS.

[Guest]

A tip from Frans Wildermershe.  

IF you can still get it, a capful of TUMBLEBUG, yes !! the garden product, into a bucketfull of warm water and add to it half a dozen drops of Fairy Liquid to allow the treated water to "cling" to the feathering.  Submerge your pigeons for fifteen twenty seconds ( not the head ) spreading their wings.  Do this just before roosting.  WON'T SEE ANOTHER MITE FOR TWO YEARS.

 

 

Would need to see the product label. Reason I'm cautious on the suggestion is that since getting the birds, and mindful that I've a resident pair of blackies and robins in my garden, I always check that any garden pesticides I buy are 'pet friendly'. And every pet friendly one I've come across always reads 'harmless when dry'.

 

Depends on the active chemicals(s) and strength, but just don't like the idea of any my birds preening themselves when wet with chemical insectide on their feathers. And also wouldn't want them perching up for the night when wet.

[T_T]

Hi Bruno,

              Had used this for a number of years until Ivermectin came out which works twofold on lice and worms.  I now use that.  What was left over after dipping my pigeons with Tumblebug was put into a spray gun for my flower bed.

With regard to dipping at night time, one of the best fanciers I know of, told me that after EVERY race he would leave the clubhouse, come home and dip every one of his pigeons that had raced that day in a warm bucketful of water with Radox added and that would be at 8pm, 8::30pm and put them in their box.  Relaxes the muscles.

Different fanciers, different methods.  Another mans poison ?

[peterpau]

I'd go for Ivermectin or dip in duramitex. Possibly one spot on the neck, but I can get ivermectin which I prefere. Me I'd try one then the other a month later. and treat the lot they don't want to be carrying any parrasites. best o' luck

[Guest]

Well (touch wood) haven't had to use any chemicals at all for lice / mite. Used to have a devil of a job keeping them clean, especially the lighter colours until Fifer passed on the tip of using garlic leftovers in their bathwater.. litre of garlic water to 5ltrs of bathwater every Sunday ... certainly does the trick.

 

 

 

 

[MsPigeon]

I've just read about using Frontline dog spray on my canaries. It says just use a cotton squab and put a drop on the skin of each canary. Good for 3 months so it gets the ones that haven't hatched yet as well. But since it comes in a big bottle and it is expensive I thought it should work on the pigeons too. Any thoughts? I know you won't like it Bruno...

[Guest]

Really depends on what's in it, Carol.

 

Don't mind using any product as long as I know a bit about it, and I much prefer a natural way of doing it over using chemicals.. for example, I was pleasantly surprised by what Harker's had to say about their feather drops, and the information that citronella and eucalyptus oils are repellent to insects. One bottle lasted me a whole year last year, but as I've posted, didn't do the full business, couldn't keep the whites clear. Started using Fifer's tip ... only the other day watched a white hen have a good stretch coming off the nest, saw all her primaries and secondaries - totally clear, and the 2006 bottle of feather drops is still unopened.

 

And I made a mistake in my last post with quantities. Should have read a litre of garlic water to 5 gallons of tap water in the birds bath. Don't like mixing metric and imperial like that, but the jug I use is a litre jug, and the pail is a 5 gallon pail.  ;D

[jimmy white]

as ive said before garlic is one of the greatest and cheapest things for any fancier, the uses and advantages are endless,,ive never had any broblem with invermectin, but they say its bad for the hawks???

[MsPigeon]

Thank You for your thoughts Gentlmen, I appreciate the info.

Bruno the active ingredient in Frontline spray is fipronil, 29%. It says the Fipronil collects in the oil of the skin and follicles and continues to be released from the follicles resulting in long term residual activity. It has been safe for others on their breeding canaries and feathered chicks.

With the pigeons I have been useing the garlic as well, since hearing everyones comments on here, routinely! and started putting it in their bath water too. I also tried a new product called Ecto Endo, it was suppose to both worm and delouse birds by appling 1 drop on a foot of each pigeon. But I noticed that I can still find a feather lice or 2 on most birds, so to me that means the Ecto Endo didn't do its job.

What ya think?

Carol

[mobster]

i used ivomec injectables. 3 drops per bird. im using it with my dogs for prevention of externel parasites and worms. and a vet here told me that ivomec can be used orally for birds.

 

hope this helps.

 

 

regards

 

gary

[Guest]

Carol, thanks for the lead on the active ingredient, fipronel.

 

I always have a look and see what info is out there. This is the first website I turned up using 'fipronel' as search keyword. Basically didn't go any further with the search because there's mega-info there - just a wee bit too much to do a straight 'cut & paste' post as it would just swamp the thread. My advice is as always, have a look at what it says and make up your own minds.

 

 

 

http://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/actives/fipronil.htm

[Guest]

i used ivomec injectables. 3 drops per bird. im using it with my dogs for prevention of externel parasites and worms. and a vet here told me that ivomec can be used orally for birds.

 

hope this helps.

 

 

regards

 

gary

 

Don't know what kind of dog you own, but I suggest you do a search on the web where you'll find all sorts of warnings about the problems ivomec causes for certain breeds.

 

It isn't intended for birds or dogs, its a product intended for cattle and as Jimmy says it causes problems (for hawks) because its poisonous. Even cattle can't go into the food chain for three months after treatment, and that gives you an idea of how safe it is for us too..