D'uccle Thread

[fuzzybutt love]

Red mites don't come out usually during the day, maybe her being weak got some of them to feel daring. I didn't know i had them this last summer until some actually crawled on my arm one evening! Gross. If that's why she's weak she'll perk up in a day.

 

[K Epp]

mites? These links have pics to help I.D. http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=472405

3 drops ivomec/ ivermectin on the back, bottom of the neck just like a cat. Repeat in 7 days; effective against some worms too.

Some use frontline, instead. I think that's only for lice/ mites, and i wouldn't eat the eggs but for these little bitties you don't anyway, LOL. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/465712/frontline

Definitely NO baths in these temps! Even if you dry them it takes days to get their oils back. I have used cat flea powder with some success as well, but i definitely like the drops on the neck the best. They can't shake it off since it absorbs into the skin (Make sure it hits skin when you squeeze the drops) and they are covered for a week at least! Diotomaceous earth don't work for an actual infestation, just preventative. (I have tried to do the non-chemical route and after a whole summer of it i am pretty sure) If your flock's not tame just pluck them off roost at night.

Thanks for the link. She has mites since they are out during the day I assume they are of the Northern variety. My flock isn't wild, but I find it easier to medicate them when on the roost. I just go down the line. That way I know I have gotten each one. I have 6 Porcelain d'Uccle hens I cant tell most of them apart. I have medicated and them put them in a carrier. The assembly line at night is easier for me. Hopefully I caught it in time and she will recover.

 

[Lorilyn Farms]

Keep us informed.

 

[K Epp]

She is still in garage with her buddy. I havent treated the others yet because all I have to treat the coop with is liquid Sevin. It would freeze now. In a few days it should get over freezing (crossing my fingers they are giving neg temps for Mon and Tues.) When it warms up I will treat coop and other birds. They will stay in garage and with light until then. I did hit that spot with a little more Ivermectin. Really odd I could only find one spot on her with them on it. Def Mites after my internet search.

 

[Brie6895]

Hi everyone! I am having a problem with my little d'uccle and hoping y'all can help. I noticed she was getting picked on by all my other chickens. Her eye was closed so I brought her inside. She has a dog crate in my guest bedroom and I'm trying to get her better. Her eye is slowly coming back to normal. Aside from her eye her comb is very pale and I notice her feet feathers break off occasionally. The other weird thing is her beak seems to keep growing into almost a fish hook shape. Any idea of what this is?

Also it's been quite some time since she left the coop and I tried to put her in the other night and it did not go good at all how should I reintroduce her to the girls? Thanks!!

 

[cheeka]

that's a tough one Brie, sometimes re-introduction works, sometimes, not... the only experience I have was a bantam cochin who had been injured by a rooster. when I brought her in to heal, she went broody on me... so I gave her some eggs. when they hatched and she was all healed, I moved her into the broody pen until her chicks grew out to be as big as her (chicks were LF) re-introducing her was easy, because there were 4 birds, not just one, so it helped spread out some of the behavior. Now that broody is Mama to a good %age of my flock, she is pretty high ranking for a bitty thing.
you may have to keep her separated, being bottom of the pecking order won't likely change for her...
Or, if you have just one or two aggressors, you could try separating them for a few weeks... taking a bird from the top places them at the bottom, at least temporarily... when they go back...

if you have the space, and are inclined to try... you could see if she would take over as lead for a younger group of chickens...

 

[Brie6895]

Thank you that is a good idea I have two I know are very aggressive towards her maybe I could bring them in for a week and move her out. I don't have room to get any more chicks . My other thing is when I adopted her I had no idea what age she was and she hasn't grown much since. This was about 5 months ago She's never laid an egg but I know she's not a rooster.

 

[cheeka]

heal her up, plump her up... and take the other 2 out before you put her back. hang out for a bit, break up any aggressive behavior.

I would seriously up her protein intake to help sustain her feathers. whether she's molting or doesn't get sufficient feed because of her status... breaking feathers would raise my awareness to what her diet is. BOSS, meat, fish... a higher protein game bird type feed... she needs more regardless of why she has feather problems... protein deficiency can also responsible for no eggs. takes a lot of protein to produce 1. and they can't do both, regrow feathers and lay eggs without copious amounts of protein...

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Brie, is it similar to cross beak? If so she needs a trim so she can eat better. If she's weak the others are picking on her because it's natural instinct to kill the weak so the rest can survive; i second the healing her up first bit.

When it's time to bring her back in there first get a timid buddy for her for a day or two, then put them both in at once. This will decrease the picking on her when she goes back; there will be some since pecking order has to be re-establised.

 

[mstricer]

heal her up, plump her up... and take the other 2 out before you put her back.  hang out for a bit, break up any aggressive behavior.

I would seriously up her protein intake to help sustain her feathers.  whether she's molting or doesn't get sufficient feed because of her status... breaking feathers would raise my awareness to what her diet is.  BOSS, meat, fish... a higher protein game bird type feed... she needs more regardless of why she has feather problems... protein deficiency can also responsible for no eggs.  takes a lot of protein to produce 1.  and they can't do both, regrow feathers and lay eggs without copious amounts of protein...

DUccles shouldn't have high protein, it cause them to grow too big. This is the problem with the breed right now. All commercial feed is too high in protein. Hens should only weigh 22 oz and roosters 26 oz. I found out the hard way when getting my birds ready for show. I had a hen that weighed 2 lbs 11 oz and could show her. The breakage of foot feathers are caused from the bedding in coops and what they are walking in outside, whether they are on grass or dirt. All my runs have sand in them and they get hay in the winter to eat and I throw grass in the summer. As for her beak you can use a file to trim it