Help for my 9yy old hen

[Waves]

Hi all!
I have to ask you an advice.
It has been about 1,5 months that my ISA Brown called Marina started to have dirty butt. Since then, it has pretty always been so:

Really can't understand why: she has never had this before!
I cleaned her butt a week ago, but we're at the same point
I haven't asked advices before because i thought it was because of drastic weather change, but now i begin to wonder..
She is very vital, she eats and drinks normally, she runs, jumps, flies like normal and she's very active.
Only a bit of lices and mites some days ago, but i treated it, but dirty butt remained
I feed chickens with layers' feed (she is laying), and they have a large place to stay happy in the day (grass is growing in this moment, so it's pretty leafless now)..
Could you suggest me something to stop it? Or maybe it is only a period because of the spring?
Thank you a lot

 

[Waves]

up

 

[coach723]

Still laying at 9 years old is really good! Have you ever wormed your birds or had a fecal test done to check for internal parasites? If you have a vet that will do the test for you that would be what I would do, since that can cause runny droppings and dirty vent feathers.

 

[Waves]

Still laying at 9 years old is really good! Have you ever wormed your birds or had a fecal test done to check for internal parasites? If you have a vet that will do the test for you that would be what I would do, since that can cause runny droppings and dirty vent feathers.

thankl you so much! yes, i'm pretty proud of her
No, you're right, i didn't deworm. I'm tryng to find a vet but here it's pretty difficult to find a prepared vet about chickens..Anyway, meanwhile, i could start giving her two pieces of garlic a day, maybe, like support. Do you know something about natural products that helps to deworm?

 

[coach723]

There are mail in options for getting a fecal if you don't have a vet that will do it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...0&pd_rd_w=RiyeH&pd_rd_wg=CN57R&ref_=pd_gw_unk
As for natural methods, if you want to do it as a 'preventative' it's fine. If you actually have a worm load in a bird then medications are needed. I tried early on some of the 'natural' things and they simply don't work. I had sick birds. There is a system of herbal supplements that is often recommended, it has to be given year round, and is not inexpensive that way. Every environment is different so some can worm once or twice a year and that's all that's needed. In my environment I have to worm every 3 months or I have sick birds. You will find some advice that says that a bird can have a light worm load and be fine, nothing needs to be done. I happen to disagree based on understanding of the life cycle of internal parasites and based on my own experience with my flock. I can't think of another species where any internal parasite is left untreated and it's considered OK. Most animals, pets or livestock, or checked yearly, or wormed on a schedule. Meds exist because there is a need for them.
Too much garlic can be toxic, it can cause a specific type of anemia. Two cloves of garlic for a single bird in the 5 or 6 lb range is a LOT of garlic every day.
If you cannot get a fecal done, then either Valbazen (labeled for cattle) or Safeguard (liquid goat wormer or horse paste) are commonly used for chickens. Dosing is slightly different for Valbazen than for Safeguard, both will take care of most common parasites (except tapeworm).

 

[Shadrach]

Hi all!
I have to ask you an advice.
It has been about 1,5 months that my ISA Brown called Marina started to have dirty butt. Since then, it has pretty always been so:
View attachment 2653281
Really can't understand why: she has never had this before!
I cleaned her butt a week ago, but we're at the same point
I haven't asked advices before because i thought it was because of drastic weather change, but now i begin to wonder..
She is very vital, she eats and drinks normally, she runs, jumps, flies like normal and she's very active.
Only a bit of lices and mites some days ago, but i treated it, but dirty butt remained
I feed chickens with layers' feed (she is laying), and they have a large place to stay happy in the day (grass is growing in this moment, so it's pretty leafless now)..
Could you suggest me something to stop it? Or maybe it is only a period because of the spring?
Thank you a lot

What did you treat the lice and mites with?
Can you post the nutritional breakdown of the layers feed?
Some older hens have a tendency to lose some control over excreting waste. It seems to be more common in the larger dual purpose hens ime. I've had a few at eight years old an above that needed regular bum cleaning but were otherwise healthy.
Older hens can lose the flexibility to get at the rear areas and this can make cleaning a problem.
Worming as @coach723 mentions above is a good idea in general but you need to use a wormer that works. To the best of my knowledge none of the natural remedies will tackle an existing high worm load. You need to use one of the products mentioned above.
It is best to adjust the feed one gives to the age and sex of the chicken. Non laying pullets and elderly hens do not need the level of calcium found in the majority of layer feeds and for some high levels of calcium can cause liver and kidney problems. Look for a feed at around 18% protein and 1% calcium.

 

[Waves]

There are mail in options for getting a fecal if you don't have a vet that will do it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...0&pd_rd_w=RiyeH&pd_rd_wg=CN57R&ref_=pd_gw_unk
As for natural methods, if you want to do it as a 'preventative' it's fine. If you actually have a worm load in a bird then medications are needed. I tried early on some of the 'natural' things and they simply don't work. I had sick birds. There is a system of herbal supplements that is often recommended, it has to be given year round, and is not inexpensive that way. Every environment is different so some can worm once or twice a year and that's all that's needed. In my environment I have to worm every 3 months or I have sick birds. You will find some advice that says that a bird can have a light worm load and be fine, nothing needs to be done. I happen to disagree based on understanding of the life cycle of internal parasites and based on my own experience with my flock. I can't think of another species where any internal parasite is left untreated and it's considered OK. Most animals, pets or livestock, or checked yearly, or wormed on a schedule. Meds exist because there is a need for them.
Too much garlic can be toxic, it can cause a specific type of anemia. Two cloves of garlic for a single bird in the 5 or 6 lb range is a LOT of garlic every day.
If you cannot get a fecal done, then either Valbazen (labeled for cattle) or Safeguard (liquid goat wormer or horse paste) are commonly used for chickens. Dosing is slightly different for Valbazen than for Safeguard, both will take care of most common parasites (except tapeworm).

Wow thank you! That test can be useful!
I dont know if this products are avaible in Italy too, but i can find something similiar. I didn't know too much garlic could be toxic, thank you

What did you treat the lice and mites with?
Can you post the nutritional breakdown of the layers feed?
Some older hens have a tendency to lose some control over excreting waste. It seems to be more common in the larger dual purpose hens ime. I've had a few at eight years old an above that needed regular bum cleaning but were otherwise healthy.
Older hens can lose the flexibility to get at the rear areas and this can make cleaning a problem.
Worming as @coach723 mentions above is a good idea in general but you need to use a wormer that works. To the best of my knowledge none of the natural remedies will tackle an existing high worm load. You need to use one of the products mentioned above.
It is best to adjust the feed one gives to the age and sex of the chicken. Non laying pullets and elderly hens do not need the level of calcium found in the majority of layer feeds and for some high levels of calcium can cause liver and kidney problems. Look for a feed at around 18% protein and 1% calcium.

Thank you!! I treat them with permethrin, a bit under the wings and under the tail. I check for mites and lices every week and treat only when i see some bugs.
I'm giving layer feed because my other three hens are laying regularly and even Mari is laying almost daily...but dont know if it's right..!

Is this the breakdown?


Proteins 15.7%
Oils 4,7%
Calcium 4%
Phosphor 0,6%
Sodium 0,6%

Thanks!

 

[Waves]

Uhm, today i noticed it:
her butt is more dirty in the morning. This could give credit to the hypotesis that it is partly related to a "lose" of control of the function of pooping..
What do you think about this?

p.s i'm providing for the dewormer in the meanwhile

 

[coach723]

Some birds do get what's called a lazy cloaca, they don't push droppings out has hard and vent feathers get dirtier. Without a fecal, hard to say which is an issue, or possibly even both.