Chicken losing feathers and weight

[eggsited chickens]

I have a rhode Island red hen that seems to be losing weight and losing her feathers. She is very skittish when I'm around. I went out tonight to check for bugs and saw nothing on all the chickens I checked. I don't know what else I can do for her. I don't think she is laying. She seems to be eating and drinking and running around with the rest of the girls.... She is consantly pecking at herself...enough to draw blood.

Any ideas?

thanks,

 

[cherylcohen]

I have know idea really , just an opinion, can you up her protein...scrambled eggs, cat food, black oiled sunflower seeds?

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

If shes constantly picking & drawing blood, sounds like bugs. Ivermec time I'd say. Treat for bugs & worms.

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

have you checked for parasites? what about stool?

 

[eggsited chickens]

Parasites like lice etc? or do you mean something else? How would I check for these?...I don't see any bugs at all! I haven't seen anything different in the stools. I have around 30 chickens, so it's hard to know which one is hers.

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

I mean things like lice, mites. You can just look around for crawlies, if you find some, seperate her and dust her, dust the bedding, and put out a dust pan for the others incase the have lice or mites. Mites mainly come out in night though, so check the nest boxes.

 

[eggsited chickens]

No, I haven't seen anything like that. I went out around 9 and looked at all the butts that faced me and saw nothing. She wont let me touch her, but I was able to for about 5 seconds and saw nothing.

Another thing, Poultry dust, is this something I can just put in the coop to let the chickens bathe in? I have the Garden and Poultry dust with permithrin. It says not to get on our clothing or skin, so how safe is it for chickens?

 

[they'reHISchickens]

She isn't moulting , is she?

 

[eggsited chickens]

Ok, I went and purchased some pine tar to put on this chicken that seems to not leave her butt alone. How have you all put this on your chicken before? it's a goopy mess right? do you use fingers, rag, knife??? Once I"m in there, I want to have the right things to get the job done b/c after I let her go, I won't be able to get her too quick...she's mighty flighty

 

[eggsited chickens]

I put the pine tar on the chicken and then went to check on her after dark, and she was cleaning herself off! She doesn't care what it is or what it tastes like she is determined to take it off and peck herself to death!