Help - Ants all over sick bird!

[inksville]

How do I get ants off an injured and sick bird?

Yesterday I realized how bad off our black star is. She's always had diarheah off and on ( I suspect Gleet) but she always gets better. Yesterday, however, she was very wobbly and not tucking her feathers in. I bathed her to clean off her backside, and she had lots of maggots, (which I hope I got most of the eggs), anyway. I put betadine on her raw vent, and got some antibiotic for her water. (I usually go organic, but she needs help)

Last night, I put her to bed in a laundry basket and this morning she is covered with ants, I can't bathe the ants off, they are so clingy. How do I get ants off her without hurting her? DE is hard to find here Food grade at least... Any other ideas?

Please help, she is miserable!!

 

[joy]

The only solution I can think of is ant killer powder or spray her with the shower to get them off quickly

 

[muell112]

what would happen if you submerged all but her head in warm water? would the ants release their grip?

 

[inksville]

I haven't been able to get them off of her with water. I am not sure how warm I can go with it either. She has a big raw spot that I think would be very sensitive to hot water....

I feel so bad for her, I will keep bathing her, but they keep appearing.

Does anyone no what kind of spray would be safe?

 

[TXmom]

Oh, I'm so sorry...I know how frustrating and scary that is! I had a similar ant problem with my goat who got injured. I used food grade DE that I already had on hand...I washed the ants off of him and covered the goat house inside and out, and all the surrounding ground with the DE and the ants disappeared. I know that doesn't help you if you don't have DE.

Maybe you could use Sevin Dust??? I don't know much about it but it's supposed to be safe to dust the birds with it, and maybe it will kill ants...I don't know.

 

[LynneP]

Also, you need to get this hen out of the flock into a cool space away from the source of the ants. I'd bathe her belly in lukewarm water, re-treat the sore spot and rest her in a cool place for an extended period. I suspect these could be fire ants or another type of ant that stings, and it could kill this bird. You will also need to check the other birds in case the attack is more widespread.

 

[TXmom]

Oh...do you have any Iodine or Peroxide you can put in her bath water?? Maybe that will kill the ants... I'm just trying to think of ANYTHING that might help quickly...

 

[TXmom]

Quote:
She did have her out of the flock...sleeping in a laundry basket when the ants attacked. We have horrible ant problems in Texas (I don't know where the OP lives) so I understand how that happens, even inside the house. Sometimes I feel there is NO safe place where the ants can't find you

 

[inksville]

Quote:
I am bathing her in betadine and water...

thanks everyone for the help. i need to get some DE quick.

These are not fire ants, I am in Northern cal.,more like crazy ants and yes I think they do bite. The problem is there is nowhere that is ant free except our house, and I have nowhere to put her. we have 3 adults and 4 kids in a 3 br 1 ba house, no room for this chicken.

Aughh. I feel so bad for letting her get this sick. I have been so overwhelmed with back to school and work. i don't even have time to type here, much less deal with her. i was late to back to school nite becasue of this, and my son was late to school again because of this chicken.


She's enthusiasticly eating some scratch I got for a treat. She's not drinking enough water to get her medicine, though. How are chickens supposed to get medicine through their water? What if it drinks A lOT of water or hardley any? Doesn't seem like a very good way to dose them.

I am soo frustrated...

 

[inksville]

Quote:
She did have her out of the flock...sleeping in a laundry basket when the ants attacked. We have horrible ant problems in Texas (I don't know where the OP lives) so I understand how that happens, even inside the house. Sometimes I feel there is NO safe place where the ants can't find you

Yes you are right, even in the house it is a constant struggle,...

She is in our garage right now, I have got to find a place for her...