Chicks feathers breaking??

[dntd]

My chicks feathers seem to break easy and they are super slow getting feathers so much so we can't let them outside yet though. The chicks were supposed to be 8 weeks when I got them, this last week they shot through the roof in growth but they even have pin feathers on their crests and naked 100% under the wings. Is it a vitamin thing(perhapes the older chickens would eat all the food) or genetics? Can I do something to help them. They also have chicken lice though they have been having daily dustings of DE.

 

[CMV]

I have no idea what breed that bird is, so I couldn't tell you about its feathering. I can tell you though that DE is pretty much useless for an active lice infestation. You need to get some sort of pesticide on that bird. You'll see an improvement rapidly once you clean up the bugs. DE is mainly used as a deterrent/preventative (although I have my doubts of the efficacy of even that claim), but once you see signs of bugs on your birds it's time to pull out the big guns. Several folks use Adams flea products with good results. There's also poultry dust and Sevin dust. I use Ivomec Eprinex for any buggy woes. There are tons of products out there.

Good luck.

 

[dntd]

This is my fist incounter with the beasts, they came home with the chicks, my hens are clean though , these poor guys ar stuck in a crate until the lice goes away, I'll have to get something for them.