Barred Rock has pale comb and seems tired, what is going on?

[aart]

Thank you guys so much for the advice! It's raining really hard right now, so hopefully it will stop long enough for me to dust her and the others.

I wouldn't dust them unless you're sure she has bugs.

 

[BantyChooks]

Have you seen lice or mites on your chickens?

 

[The Chicken Fan]

I haven't done the thorough check just yet, but plan to tomorrow. If she has lice are they pretty easy to see?

 

[aart]

I haven't done the thorough check just yet, but plan to tomorrow. If she has lice are they pretty easy to see?

Yes, they are...and you'll see white egg clusters around the base of the feather shafts near the skin..mostly around the vent.
Google 'chicken lice' for pics.

 

[The Chicken Fan]

Yes, they are...and you'll see white egg clusters around the base of the feather shafts near the skin..mostly around the vent.
Google 'chicken lice' for pics.

I looked around the vent, under the wings, and around the head and didn't see anything. She has perked up since Friday and her comb is becoming its usual red color. It stopped raining for several hours and I think she might have got a dust bath.

 

[aart]

Quote: Good news!
Sometimes taking time to make careful observations is the best bet, that will get easier as you gain experience.....
........much easier to treat a 'problem' once you know exactly what it is.

Did you check her at night?
There is a type of mite that does not stay on the bird 24/7 (like lice do) but lives in the coop and only comes out to feed at night.
Tiny blackish/reddish colored things, smears red when squished. Look on bird and wipe a white paper towel on underside of roosts after full dark to check for them.
I do the towel wipe thing every few months.

 

[The Chicken Fan]

Good news!
Sometimes taking time to make careful observations is the best bet, that will get easier as you gain experience.....
........much easier to treat a 'problem' once you know exactly what it is.

Did you check her at night?
There is a type of mite that does not stay on the bird 24/7 (like lice do) but lives in the coop and only comes out to feed at night.
Tiny blackish/reddish colored things, smears red when squished. Look on bird and wipe a white paper towel on underside of roosts after full dark to check for them.
I do the towel wipe thing every few months.

We have a light in the coop, will that affect it?

 

[aart]

Quote: Is the light on all night long?
If you are using supplemental light for winter laying, it's best to only have it on early in the morning and let them go to roost with the natural sunset

 

[The Chicken Fan]

Is the light on all night long?
If you are using supplemental light for winter laying, it's best to only have it on early in the morning and let them go to roost with the natural sunset

We keep it on for a couple hours after dark. I think it actually helps my girls get all situated. Before we put it in I would have to go out with a flashlight and shine it in the coop so the chickens who didn't make it on the roost could get up there. So should I check after the light goes off?

 

[aart]

Quote: I've had the opposite experience, they are all wandering around when the light goes off after dark.
But, yeah, wait until the coops been dark for a good hour or two before looking for 'night' mites.