Hello Again! Here is an update on what's been going on,
@Texas Kiki ,
@Wyorp Rock , and
@Eggcessive ,
I couldn't find Martin's Horse and Stall locally, but was able to find their Pen and Coop spray which has the same amount of Permethrin. I just got done doing a total clean out and spray of the coop. I still haven't found any bugs after night inspections or wiping the roosts with paper towels, but I did find some mouse poop in there. I tried to get the chickens misted while I was at it but could only get about half. I'm thinking it will be easier to get them done tonight, when they are roosting.
Over the last couple of days I found this spot (that look like it's older) on a Wyandotte:
I also found this morning that the Sussex with the large wound on her back was plucked under her vent. I Blu-Koted her and originally caged her, but let her out while I was cleaning the coop, because she seemed really freaked out in there. Right now I'm checking on her every 1/2 hour. I plan to tar her and some others as soon as I can get some help! Her feathers back there are clumped with mud, and I suspect that's what the other chickens are mainly going for.
So far, every scrape, bare spot, or wound has been either below the vent or near the preen gland. Does that indicate anything?
I got a bait box and will set it out for sure now that I found the mouse droppings.
As for general flock observations, I've watched them picking their own feathers (particularly their own breast feathers) and I've seen just about every single one of them do some minimal pecking of another- either because the other chicken had something they wanted (like an ice clump), or just random pecks and nibbles at a bit of dirt or out of place feather that happened to be dangling in front of them. I've seen an Orp peck a Brahma vent area, a Brahma peck a Wyandotte head, and a Sussex peck another Sussex.
I can't quarantine them all from each other!
The only time I saw a whole feather completely pulled out was when the Wyandotte who is the flock "queen" was hunting for a nest site and a Sussex tried to kick her out of a nest box I had pulled out while I was cleaning. The Wyandotte plucked a small pin feather, the Sussex squawked and left her alone after that. Does that sound too aggressive or is that typical? I also noticed them eating any feathers that happened to be floating around the run and they also seem to have a big craving for mud. Oh, I looked at the breast feathers on a couple, and it looks like new feathers are growing in there underneath the current ones they are chewing on. Is that normal this time of year?
I washed the Brahma's backside and it was looking good last I checked.
