Beyond the molt

[med1pilot]

I'm worried about our two Australorps. Since early Spring they've been wandering around half naked and their skin looks so red. I call them my little zombie chickens, they look so straggly. They otherwise seem healthy, eating, drinking and laying. This is our first full year raising chickens, so everything different is new. They were all one year old mid May. Also our big Barred Rocks have bare red butts too. We've checked and treated for mites, and give daily treatments of vanilla to keep the gnats away. They don't seem distressed at all, so we don't know what to think. The picture below is Xena, and she is slightly worse than her sister. At least they are starting to get a few feathers back on their heads, but their backs, butts, and the sides of their wings look entirely moth eaten.

Here she came up to join me on the patio and is sunning herself, enjoying the warm day.

 

[FlyWheel]

That looks more like she's being pecked at. How much protein are they getting?

 

[med1pilot]

They free range on a limited basis, and we're feeding free choice 18% Nutrena Nature Wise "Feather Fixer", plus some treats with meal worms. We spend quite a bit of time with them and have seen no sign of picking.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

That looks more like she's being pecked at. How much protein are they getting?

She is being pecked at but the hen is pecking her own self.

Here is an example of what a feather mite looks like. The photo was taken by an electron microscope so don't bother looking for feather mites, they are much to small to see with the naked eye.

These mites are actually living and growing in the hair follicle of a human eyelash.

Feather mites make chickens pull their own feathers out to relieve their misery.

 

[med1pilot]

How do we rid them of feather mites if that is what is going on?