Chicken problems

[DrDean]

About a year ago, I had to cage my chickens due to predators, specifically hawks. I have been told that the raptor rehabilitation center at the local university has gotten so many injured raptors that they have just started releasing them locally as they get well. Some of them are obviously not even afraid of people. So I built a covered pen about 20 by 10 feet that connects to the 10 by 10 feet hen house. Then I started losing birds to mites, something that was not an issue in the years they were free ranged (lost another one this week). I lost my rooster to mites last year and then got a new one, a young one. Now that he is grown, he brutalizes one hen, to the point where she has trouble even getting food and water. I have one rooster and 10 hens. Any suggestions about what to do about the mites and the rooster issue? Thank you.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

About a year ago, I had to cage my chickens due to predators, specifically hawks. I have been told that the raptor rehabilitation center at the local university has gotten so many injured raptors that they have just started releasing them locally as they get well. Some of them are obviously not even afraid of people. So I built a covered pen about 20 by 10 feet that connects to the 10 by 10 feet hen house. Then I started losing birds to mites, something that was not an issue in the years they were free ranged (lost another one this week). I lost my rooster to mites last year and then got a new one, a young one. Now that he is grown, he brutalizes one hen, to the point where she has trouble even getting food and water. I have one rooster and 10 hens. Any suggestions about what to do about the mites and the rooster issue? Thank you.

Check with your local feed store, they likely have a Permethrin based poultry spray or dust you can use. If they don't have that ask for a miticide or louse powder used for birds.
Treat all your chickens. Clean out your coop and treat that too, including roosting bars and nesting boxes. Repeat treatment according to package directions. Treatment is usually repeat in 7-10 day intervals to kill any nits that hatch.

For your rooster...you'll have to decide which way to go there, different ways to do this.
House the rooster separately, house the brutalized hen separately, get rid of the rooster, get rid of the hen.
If your hen is in poor shape because she's been kept from food water you may want to separate her and give her extra care. Check her for lice/mites, see that she is eating/drinking well, tend to any wounds she may have.
While she is separate, observe your rooster - is he nice/calm and treating the other hens well while the poor one is removed or has he chosen another hen to pick on?
Take time to consider all your options and observe behaviors/interaction before you make any huge decisions, but getting that hen cared for is a good idea.

 

[rebrascora]

I'm sorry that you are facing so many challenges with your chickens.

What makes you think that the mites killed your birds? In my experience, even a really heavy mite infestation will not usually kill a bird, although it will weaken them and make them prone to other ailments, do there may be something else going on in your flock which is killing birds. Permethrin is the active ingredient in powders or sprays that you need to look for to treat mites and lice and repeat application of both the birds and coop is necessary for several weeks until you break their life cycle. Even after that, you need to be vigilant. Providing a dust bathing area in the run with a dry area of loose dirt, compost and wood ash will help the birds to keep the number of external parasites down. Some coops provide ideal cracks and crevices for mites to breed in so looking at your coop and perhaps sealing those areas nearest to the roost bar will help.

As regards the cockerel you have acquired, he is young and his hormones are running riot. The hen that he is victimising may not be submissive to him and he is perhaps trying to dominate her. Personally I would not tolerate his behaviour as the welfare of my hens is more important to me than cockerels which are ten a penny. Is there a particular reason why you want a rooster?