Hard, black poo on vents

[SammyLee]

I have 2 hens that for more than 2 weeks have poo hardening to their vents. At first, I noticed an awful smell (not the normal stinky poo smell, but more of an infection smell) and saw that they had yellow stool sticking to their vents/feathers and hardened black poo. I isolated them both, gave them baths to remove the hard poo, and put probiotics, electrolytes and vitamins in their water. Both of them look super healthy and act super healthy otherwise (shiny, full feathers, pleasantly pink-red combs, active foraging, etc). Their vents aren't even red or swollen nor are their bellies spongy or bloated. After isolating them, the gross smell stopped and their poop looks normal, but the hardening poo recurs almost immediately and I have to start all over. No other hens seem to be affected. I do, however, know that I have mites. I've been treating the coop and all the other birds with Pure Planet Poultry Spray as well as adding diatomaceous earth to their dust bath and using Rooster Booster in their water. Is this all caused by the mites? Or is it something else? Not really sure what else to do besides what I'm already doing. I'm just hoping someone might know what is causing this so I can better treat it.

EDIT: They have lice, not mites!

 

[aart]

Is it sticking to the feathers?
Is black poo hard when it comes out or does it harden later?

 

[coach723]

I don't know if the poo problem is related to the mites or not, but you would probably be better off using a permethrin product for the mites. Clove oil does kill some pests, but it only kills on direct contact and it does not work once dry, there is no residual effect. Since the mites in the coop hide in the tiniest of crevices I think it would be very hard to get them all with that product, so they will continue to reproduce and you will not get rid of them all. Also DE is not effective in treating them, despite all the articles that say it will. Elector PSP is very effective also, but much more expensive.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

 

[SammyLee]

Is it sticking to the feathers?
Is black poo hard when it comes out or does it harden later?

The poo hardens after as far as I know. Their dropped poos look normal. Some sticks to their feathers, but not a lot and not particularly close to the vent. Just when it looks like they're all cleared up, the next time I check them their vents have hard poo blocking them again.

 

[SammyLee]

I don't know if the poo problem is related to the mites or not, but you would probably be better off using a permethrin product for the mites. Clove oil does kill some pests, but it only kills on direct contact and it does not work once dry, there is no residual effect. Since the mites in the coop hide in the tiniest of crevices I think it would be very hard to get them all with that product, so they will continue to reproduce and you will not get rid of them all. Also DE is not effective in treating them, despite all the articles that say it will. Elector PSP is very effective also, but much more expensive.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

Thank you! From what I can see now, it is lice, not mites I'm dealing with.

 

[coach723]

Can you post a picture or two of the vents and poo on the birds having a problem? Sometimes pictures can be helpful.

 

[aart]

Trim the feathers around the vent to about 1/2" from skin to keep future poops from sticking.
How old are these birds and how long have you had them?
What all and how exactly are you feeding them?

 

[SammyLee]

Trim the feathers around the vent to about 1/2" from skin to keep future poops from sticking.
How old are these birds and how long have you had them?
What all and how exactly are you feeding them?

The first hen is an Australorp/EE aged 1 year 5 months and the other is a Speckled Sussex aged 1 year 7 months. I've raised both from hatch. I feed all my birds Green Mountain Organics Grower Pellets and leave a bowl of Oyster shell full at all times.

 

[SammyLee]

Can you post a picture or two of the vents and poo on the birds having a problem? Sometimes pictures can be helpful.

I'll try to get some good pictures uploaded tonight.

 

[Eggcessive]

Having lice eggs in the feathers can add to catching poops in the feathers,. I like permethrin 10 spray, used in a spray bottle for lice or mites. One treatment may last, but the lice eggs will hatch every 10 days. It is safe for all poultry. So I would treat again in 7 days intervals until the lice and eggs are gone. This will also incude treating the coop after bedding is removed.

Pull off any solid poos, and trim the excess feathers. A shallow warm butt bath with dish soap can help to clean them off before treating. They sell pints of this at TSC for $10 which can be used with a spray bottle when mixed with water: