Chicken Xperts. . . I Need feather help!(pics) . . UPDATE!!. pg.3

[azelgin]

Quote:
Thanks, but nope. I was looking for an easy answer too.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

my estimation is it is a very different mite problem and or mice infestation
they are eating the feathers to drag to heir nest

I would do this
(1 take gallon can and use 1/4 qt of keroseen and 1/2 qt of mineral oil
(2 paint all roost poles and all cracks in wood of building and knot holes as these mites or lice are living behind the boards and comming out at night to suck blood
(3 PM me and will send you a long list of kinds of mites and effects of sevin on eating eggs which is none

(1 Also clean the chicken house out and on clean floor put lots of seven 5% and Diatomqaceous earth (food grade)
and then the litter
(2 also make a dusting box of
2 lbs soil and or sand and 2 cups of DE
or a cup of seven
which does not effect eggs of chickens

(3the natural oils are gone from the feathers
and they will not regrow till the natural molting occurs
(4Take and spray the chickens with Adams flea off for cats and dogs
see if that helps kill off the mites
it is a definely feather mite problem
as they make feathers brittle

 

[Jeff9118]

Go ahead and worm the chcikens just in case. They need to be wormed anyways if you have never done this. Worms will pull nutrients away and cause this. Dull feathers and messy vents is your first sign of worms. Also start boiling eggs and feed back every day to improve feathers. This will not cause them to start eating eggs. It will take a while but you should start to notice more of a lusture in the feathers especially the new ones growing in. Also add viimans to the water and good luck. Go ahead and treat for mites anyways too.

 

[Pine Grove]

You' ve got a feather picker.....

 

[azelgin]

Thanks for the reply, Glenda.
Trust me, when I tell you it's not mites. I've had experience with those and adobe ticks (not here), this is DIFFERENT. The only way I could examine these birds for mites any closer, would be to kill them and pluck them. No mites.

Mice? Not likely either. Like I said in earlier posts, My coops are pretty much rodent proof. Residential building type doors and windows. I've checked these guys' coops at all hours of the night and day. Never seen a mouse in the coop. No mouse droppings in the feeders. Never found any mice nests in the area with feathers in them. I find more evidence that mice have been in my garage, than the coops. And the cat sleeps in the garage. Mice prefer to build their nest with dry grasses and chewed cloth around here.

These chickens have their feathers broken VERY evenly. I'd be hard pressed to do it this carefully, even with hair clippers. Is it possible, that they may have been exposed to something detrimental to their diet, during feather developement, that would cause such even breakage in the feathers? Thanks again. Hope this gives you more information, to come up with more ideas.

 

[Ellie_NY_chick]

I would look at feather picking too. I've got a roo that looks like this, and I know the culprit. I have a girl that he LETS pick at him. God knows why. We were just talking about what to do with her. I love her to death and won't get rid of her, but I know what she's doing - I've caught her red handed.

If you're sure it's not mites, then I too would say you've got a feather picker.

I;ve been trying everything to make it stop so I can keep them together. I'm going to give it one more round of pine tar, and if that doesn't work, then these two lovebirds will have to be separated.

Good luck.

 

[azelgin]

Quote:
I must have two. These guys live in seperate coops. Here's something I forgot to mention. Some of the hens have chicken saddles. Some of the feathers under the saddles, look this way too. They look better overall, but the broken feathers are still there.

 

[Pine Grove]

I can tell you..You have a picker..Hide and watch them while they are cooped up,,I guarantee you will see picking.....

 

[azelgin]

Quote:
That would explain everybody, except for Bob. He's been in here for six weeks and his feathers are getting worse too. I'm not making this up. I've been wondering what to do with him. I guess he's going to be the guinea pig for treatment ideas. Your idea, has given me an idea. Thanks!

 

[farrier!]

Before I stick my idea out....Does Bob get to free range too?