Got 9, hideous chickens today. What's wrong with them?

[LaynaDon95]

We got 9 free chickens today, 8 laying hens and a rooster. Now, don't get me wrong, I love me some free birds and I appreciate every one of them, but they are hideous. She said they were molting, but I'm not so sure. One of the hens has something weird with her wing. Another has a huge sore on her back that I'm assuming came from the rooster. If I post pics could anyone help me out? I just got them home, so I haven't had a chance to look them over really well yet. I'm heading out to do that now.

 

[ReikiStar]

Lice. Mites. I would bathe each bird. If they look "hideous" then they aren't in great shape, I'd be sure they have parasites, internal and external. Hope you can keep them away from your flock until you can get these guys cleaned up and make sure they won't transmit anything to your birds. Nice of you to take them. Sounds like they could use some TLC.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Post some pics, I'd love to help.

I would recomend making a saddle, I would post a pattern if you don't have one. It is just a canvas vest that keeps roosters from scratching her back and shoulders.

 

[chardob]

Yes, please post pictures.

 

[Whispering_Raven]

Post some pics, I'd love to help.

I would recomend making a saddle, I would post a pattern if you don't have one. It is just a canvas vest that keeps roosters from scratching her back and shoulders.

Oh please post the pattern! I have 4 naked hens from an over-exuberant Roo! My poor Americaunas look ridiculous! And SUNBURNED!

Do the hens wear them without much a fuss or do they wriggle around like cats in booties?

-Tracy

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Oh please post the pattern! I have 4 naked hens from an over-exuberant Roo! My poor Americaunas look ridiculous! And SUNBURNED!

Do the hens wear them without much a fuss or do they wriggle around like cats in booties?

-Tracy

Sorry, my scanner is on the fritz but I'll send you the pattern as soon as I get it back running.

I just made one for Sophie (my "Avatar") but she hates anything but being held (baths, messing with feet, etc.) and she fussed when I put it on, but was mostly fine afterwards. I would be a little worried about having a hen wear one in the summer, but you might be able to make one out of thinner fabric would be okay.

 

[LaynaDon95]

They are separated from my flock. I'm going to check them out for lice/mites and go take pics.
I'll worm them as well. They're poop is really wet, like duck poop. And they smell GROSS! They just aren't right.

I told my mom when I saw them "These guys are gonna need some TLC..." And boy are they. :\

Okay, off to take pics. Be right back.

 

[LaynaDon95]

So, we've decided it's depluming mites. We've fed them a whole pumpkin for the internal parasite (which we do believe they have, as their poop is horribly smelly and doesn't look right) We will keep them on pumpkins and squashes for a while. I'll bathe them tomorrow because it's too dark right now. Thankfully, I have mite treatment on hand as the first few birds in my flock came down with it before. I will spray them and their nesting boxes with permethrin, and put DE all around their tractor. I'll also be spraying them down with vegetable oil. One of the hens has a wind deformity of some sort, so once she's healed she's headed for the stock pot. (She doesn't seem to be suffering, but I don't need to risk deformed birds reproducing in my flock.)

This about sums up what they looks like. Some are worse than others.


She is one of the worst. She has a huge sore, I'm assuming for the roo. I'll be doctoring that as well.


The one is front is the best looking one. Most of her missing feather damage is on her belly. Can anyone tell what breed they are? They are meat birds of sorts, judging by how ridiculously huge they are. They lay big brown eggs, and weight about a jillion pounds.

 

[mmktdox]

If they are meat birds the loss of feathers, especially on the bellies is from them sitting all the time, usually on their own waste. Brown eggs means they are not white leghorns, I'm guessing these are some overgrown cornish cross and they're way past their expiry dates. Also the fact that their poo is not normal backs up the CX theory. Their poop is usually runny and smelly because they process their food so quickly. They should have been processed awhile back! I have heard of people keeping CX for up to a year but they are not bred to hang around for long. Six to eight weeks is the norm. I'd clean them up and send them to freezer camp, but that's just my opinion! Good luck.

 

[LaynaDon95]

Well, we do intend to eat them after they are cleared. They don't seem to spend much more time on their bellies than my laying flock does though, but they are definitely hungrier than my laying flock. If I can keep them active and get them healthy, do you think I could breed them? And if I could, would their offspring be good meat birds as well?
We think they are from an industrial flock. They have tags on their wings and their overall condition is nothing like a good backyard flock manager would allow their birds to be in. We have lots of chicken houses around here, so it's highly possible they came from one of them. It would explain their poor condition.