Bareback chickens

[Theresa D]

Hi, Im new here,I think I read that the feathers will come back after they molt,that they would grow back full then. even from plucking.

 

[tadpole98]

Lice will do that to them. During the day, check for lice. At night, check for mites (which are very hard to see if to you don't know what you are looking for).

If you have them then get a bug spray (Lice be Gone is what I use). Mix that with some mineral oil to keep it from drying out too quickly. Then spray your coop down. Getting all the crevices which is where they hide. Where two pieces of wood combine, in nail holes, anywhere.
Use something more gentle on the chickens themselves. Maybe bathing each one in dawn dish soap. Then blow drying them. Once 100% dry dust them with DE. DO NOT GO OVERBOARD. DE is bad for their respitory system, too much can hurt them.

 

[phalenbeck]

Blue Coat works for me. Ate the rooster, but then the hens pecked at the bald spot. re-coat every few days. This is assuming that lice are not the problem.

 

[kgrzebin]

Yeah, I thought about a bug problem, but my roosters are fine. After months of watching them for a culprit, once I posted my problem, I caught one of the roosters plucking whole beekfuls of feathers from one of my hens. So he is now seperate, and awaiting the pot. Well, I didn't need two roosters anyway. Hopefully he was the problem, but will continue with the bluekote so my hens don't aggravate their own issue.

 

[kgrzebin]

That's hopeful- thanks.