1 yr old golden comets - blood dripping from vent. Help!!!

[debtrag]

I have 1 yr old golden comets, a couple days ago I noticed that two of them had lost feathers in the tail and vent area, there also was some dried blood on the remaining feathers under the vent. I assumed that boredom had caused some pecking so I coated the areas with pine tar, my dad said his mom used it for their chickens when he was growing up and the other chickens left them alone.

Today I went out and saw a couple more with blood on the feathers below the their vent, no missing feathers though (actually I am up to about 10 with blood now). I picked up one and I noticed a milky discharge but no blood coming from the vent, only drops of blood on the feathers under the vent area. I picked up another one and the vent had blood in the crevices so I am now assuming that the blood is coming from inside.

They are eating, drinking and laying fine although I have noticed that out of 19 I am now only getting 15-16 eggs a day. No blood on the eggs. They have not been wormed, I have been hoping for warmer weather so the water wouldn't freeze during the day. They get their water inside the coop filthy, I use a heated dog bowl and I try to keep it as clean as possible but they have not been touching in the last couple days since they have been outside for the most part and I have a water bowl out there. This winter has just been horrible. I am so ready for it to be over.

What should I do? Please help.
Thanks Deb

 

[debtrag]

The roo that is in with them is bleeding too. While they were all on the roosts tonight I was able to check different ones to see what the vent area looked like. Here is what I found around the vent areas:

Some were perfectly feathered no indication of blood or missing feathers.
Some had no feathers and blood and it appeared that there were small cuts above and below the vent. I think the blood ran down from the raw spot above the vent that made me think that the vent was bleeding. I even lightly pulled at feathers remaining around the vent area and did not see any blood inside.
I looked at one that had no blood, no feather loss but a little scabbing around the vent.

I think that they have a mite problem that is causing them to pick at themselves first and when blood appears the rest are joining in. Has anyone experienced this situation and do you think I am on the right track? I am going to dust them in the morning and apply blu cote to the injured ones. It has been so wet and snowy here that they have not been able to dust themselves. I put wood ash from our wood burner in a wooden box in the pen hoping that they will use it. I have a friend with free range game hens and he said they dust regulary in the wood burner ash that he dumps in a pile outside. I have also heard that wood ash is good for worming hogs.

 

[jerseygirl1]

I'm sorry, I don't know, but maybe someone who has experience will chime in

 

[SuziQ991]

I hope someone answers. Can you check for mites? I have heard to get a flashlight and look at night while they are on the roost. Good luck and keep us informed.

 

[rancher hicks]

what I would try is this. Put some newspaper or cardboard under the roost at night and check for blood in the poop. Check the nest for blood. If you suspect mites buy some food grade DE and dust the nest boxes and the birds. If they are outdoors in an unprotected area it could be chapping, just like your lips but I'm no expert and it's just a guess. Try a little vaseline on their butts. Wear latex gloves. While your at it rub some vaseline on the roos comb if he's not a rose comb and everyones legs and feet. This I've read is good for leg mites and prevention. It smothers them, repeat for a while. Definitely look for other signs of illness. Do not just try a bunch of meds til you have some idea what is wrong. Loss of feathers on the vent could be molt, maybe, and this unprotected area could be getting chapped. I do not advocate open water bowls. They get dirty to fast and birds reinfect themselves. I change the water two to three sometime or more each day. Anytime you find dirty water change it. Clean water can help avoid alot of problems. The blood could be coocidocis over load. The thing is it could be many things and only you can figure it out, but you must eliminate anything that may present a problem.. Chickens need three things to stay healthy, fresh feed, grit and lots and lots of fresh clean water. Anything else is extra though not necessary, IMHO.

TSC just had the gallon water jugs for 5 dollars each. I have 6. Two go out , two come in. The ones that come in get cleaned and go out and the dirty ones come in. I use gallon milk jugs to transport water to the coop in my red wagon. This makes it easier w/no spilling and I can add vitamins if I like, which I do just cuz, though it might not be necessary it can't hurt. I do this once a month. They only have this mix til the next water change. If I go out and the waters dirty it gets changed even if it was 30 minutes ago. In the summer and warmer weather I have a hose near the coop and change it right there.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

You don't have rats or anything like do you. I have seen many people going through this sort of thing and found rats eating away at their birds...starting at the vent areas. Just a thought. Good luck! I would do the newspaper thing for sure tho and see what they are pooing out. Check for worms also. The scratches are weird tho and that's what makes me think something other then worms/mites.

 

[debtrag]

I can't positively rule out rats but the chickens are in a coop on roosts 4' off the ground slick sidewalls so nothing could climb up and they roost side by side. I think the cuts/scratches are where the other chickens have scored flesh when pecking them on the run. I noticed a couple of my hens jumping up and trying to take chunks out of my nylon coat, no strings hanging, tonight when I was feeding. Strange behavior not sure what is going on. My coat is light green nylon.

I checked with a headlamp and didn't notice any bugs on or around the vent. I do know that we did have mites this fall but it seemed to have cleared itself up. I experienced itchy/crawlie things after feeding for a couple weeks, sprayed permythian, spread de and seven and haven't noticed any problem since.

When I first noticed a few feathers missing a couple weeks ago (wing and body around the wing), on a few of the hens, I thought molt. They are 1 year old 1st week of February and they haven't molted yet. They all seem to be heading the same direction, as in feather loss under and around the vent and dripping blood from the cuts. Could it be molt and I have a couple carnivourous hens? I'm real confused here.

What really confuses me is the rooster and his symptons which are the same as the hens. Do they molt? If not, it must be a mite issue. Any ideas?

 

[theFox]

All chickens molt.

 

[debtrag]

Dusted them today. Not much fun trying to get a chicken in a feed bag for the shaking. Had to use Wonder Dust on 3 who had open wounds above the vent. Applied blue dressing, similiar to blucoat, purple liquid with a dauber on 4 more. Hoping for the best, one that I used Wonder Dust on was dripping blood and I separated her. She has not bled since she has been isolated. Chickens are vicious.

Well, went to the feed store to get the meds and they have black austrolorps, americaunas, black sex links and RIR chicks for .99 each. I'd like to have a few black austrolorps but I'm getting a little burned out on the weather and the problems that are going on currently. We never had problems when they could dust themselves in the dry dirt. When will the weather change?

 

[chauqg]

Had same problem last week less the mites on 10 or so birds of my 25 RIRs. I clipped their beaks. Just taking off the point in front only as far back as the bottom and took nothing off the bottom. It worked like a charm helping them stop cutting the vent area with excess pecking, one was not clipped enough and continued to chase 2 birds and caused bleeding. I clipped her again and now the pecking is a nuisance to the birds, they yip and run away squawking but not bleeding. I have two segregated (heard it is best to keep more than one in segregation) they had been pecked badly.. Washed all pecked birds; applied Neosporin first night; next day washed again in warm water, dried and applied blu-kote then returned them to the coop. Seems to be working except for the one that continued to peck and had to be re-trimmed. I could never have identified him without the cable tie. FWI he is right blue..... I'll be watching him and if he is more of a problem he will be dinner.

More about clipping:

You do not have to deform the beaks. It is like clipping sharp toe nails. I used a dog nail clipper and they did not flinch. No blood and not a problem once I got the process down - takes two people about 10 seconds to clip one bird and another minute to band it. It is not nearly as difficult as I suspected and it is not difficult or traumatic on the birds. They are still laying in their hospital cage! Got 21 eggs the day after I returned them to the coop.

Good luck.

One upside to this was all birds are now wearing colored cable ties. With this ID, much easier to follow and identify problems.