Arizona Chickens

I visited some chickens of a friend today. Saying that they didn't look very healthy will be my understatement of the day. -They didn't look very healthy.

They all had about half their feathers missing and their skin was bright red. The feathers they did have looked dull, matted and/or thin.

I'd like to offer her some advice on how to help them, but not sure what she is dealing with. Mites? Lice? Skin infection?

Their conditions are less than clean and the water leaks, so there is quite a bit of water and mud in one corner.

Any links you all can share. I have been searching and not finding.

I bleached my shoes after being there.
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I dunno what to tell you. Half my older hens look balding. I figured it was a combination of the illnesses the flock was dealing with, combined with the diahrrea-inducing treatment.

What is she feeding them? It sounds like they could use some more protien, if nothing else. Any specific symptoms? If they have missing feathers, they could be sunburned.
 
I had a scary run in with bees today.
I was out pulling weeds by my tiny kumquat tree. The chickens were all around me "helping". All of a sudden they all took off for home. I thought "that's weird".
Next thing I know, I hear a loud buzzing noise, look up and see a thick swarm of bees right over my head! I froze! I figured if they came here, they aren't worried about me so I won't give them anything to worry about. I sat there, heart racing, for awhile until they moved about 15 feet to my right. Then I got up and walked slowly the other direction from my house to avoid them. I walked all the way around the pool, around the playhouse and onto the back porch, all the time ready to break into a run if needed. Then I called my dogs in and watched the bees from the window. They seem to have settled into one of my tortoise dens.
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Well, their skin underneath is the same red. It isn't peeling or crusty like a sun burn, but they will certainly get sunburned.

She was feeding them a mix of scratch and crumbles. She has recently switched to layer pellets. I told her that scratch was not nutrition.

So, your birds are balding, probably because of the mites, right? I think she has mites and if they have had them for a long time, could the red skin be from a secondary infection?

They didn't exhibit any respiratory symptoms and their legs and feet looked healthy.

Even when mine were picking each other last year (no mites) they were bald but pink, not red. That has to be bad.

Beckyhsinglsc - YIKES on the bees!! Be careful! If they just arrived, they are likely to be resting and will leave soon.
 
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You can have him if you want him - If my roos don't find a home this weekend, I'll have to take them to the stock ship (they're eating too much food and I can't keep roosters in my neighborhood).
 
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I had bees in my tree and almost all the swarm left this week. It was freaky. There are still some left but nothing like there was.

Side note; what does kumquat taste like. Im looking for some dwarf fruit and citrus trees.
 
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I had bees in my tree and almost all the swarm left this week. It was freaky. There are still some left but nothing like there was.

Side note; what does kumquat taste like. Im looking for some dwarf fruit and citrus trees.

Kumquats are tiny little citrus. You eat the whole thing, skin and all. The skin is sweet and the inside is very sour. Kind of like a "Sweet-tart" candy.
Trader Joe's has had them lately and might still have some if you want to try them.
 

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