help! my chickens are getting bald spots, and feathers looking very sorry for themselves. Please he

[beaney1j]

I have 4 girls, all about 1 year old. They get on well and dont peck each other. I have checked them all and can see no sign of mites, but today I put some powder on them just in case. The warren is the worst looking, so I have put pics on of her. 3 of the girls are developing bald patches on tail and under vent on bottom, and also on the lower neck / Chest area. Some of the feathers look like they have been nibbled down to the quil, but after reading on here I now think that could be new feathers coming through. The warren seems to have lost weight too. Anyone got any ideas please?

PS. they are all still laying, eating, drinking and seem quite happy in themselves.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lacrystol]

Looks like there skin is irritated, I see redness, are they free range? Have you recently put anything on them? have you checked for mites. perhaps they ate something??

 

[americana-lover]

Do you have a rooster? Sometimes Roosters pick on the other hens to show they are in charge. Other times, hens will pick on each other to show whos alpha. You should watch each of the chickens who have the bald spots. See if they're getting picked on.
I do feel sorry for youre girls!

 

[Lacrystol]

I would agree roosters do pick on hens something awful but not underneath the belly. More around the head and the back. The redness tells me its possible more like an reaction to something.. Something they are eating...exspecially since you have at least 3 of the girls going bald. I'm wondering if its more like a poision plant that they got a hold of or something to that affect... I just looks like a terrible reaction to something.... I would say they are molting but I dont recall my girls skin turn red like that..

 

[Beekissed]

Mites or lice....look closer. For now I'd bathe them all in Dawn Dishwashing liquid~a good soaking~ and give them some wood ashes in their dusting spot, nest boxes, coop. Some folks would advise to dust with Sevin but I normally don't advocate the use of chemicals of that nature around food animals. Garlic powder in the feed or water is also a good thing to start.

 

[Lacrystol]

I use seven dust, I put them in a plastic bag with there heads sticking out sprinkle the seven dust in them then flip them upside down to get under the belly and wings, I think seven dust works great and fast...

 

[Beekissed]

Quote: Here's some info that you might find helpful. Must admit I've never dealt with body mites but have only once had some scale mites that were cleared up in one treatment day with NuStock ointment and never returned.

 

[beaney1j]

they are in a run about 15' x 8' but they do have a good run in our garden (which is very large) most days. I have checked for mites, and cant see any but have treated with a natural powder just in case. I am wondering if they have eaten something now. Thanks for your reply

 

[beaney1j]

I am thrilled with all the replies, and certainly a lot of good suggestions, thank you everyone. I dont have a rooster, and have watched them for ages out of my window and they dont seem to be pecking each other at all. I am wondering if this could be a reaction to something they ate. I have given them potatoe peelings (raw) and just read on here that they can be poisenous to chickens. Of course I did not realise this (my friend feeds hers with peelings all the time and they are ok), but I will stop immediately. I only give them occasionally. Other treats include dried meal worms when I am feeling generous ( they are quite expensive), cooked rice, corn, pasta (if there is any left over from tea) and scraps of mashed potatoes. However, they do peck at plants in the garden and I am wondering whether one of them could be the culprit. Does anyone know which plants are poisenous please?

Also, when you suggest wood ash, do you mean just normal ash from burned wood, or is it a product I need to buy please?

Finally, by garlic powder, would that just be the sort in a spice jar used for cooking?

Cant thank you enough for all your help everyone. Janene x

 

[Beekissed]

Sure...just plain wood ashes from a wood burning stove and you can use the garlic powder or garlic extract that you find at the grocery store. I'd even place the ashes in the floor of your coop and paint your roosts with the garlic liquid. If this is mites, they will be back unless they don't find a good environment.

When I had scale mites the NuStock I treated with is just Sulfur, pine tar and mineral oil. It got on the roosts from the chicken's feet and legs...I don't know if that was the fix, but they never got the mites again. I also had added wood ashes to their laying boxes and a few cedar shavings. No recurrence of scale mites again past that first time~brought into the flock with the introduction of new birds in the flock.