help my hens are homely looking....

[calamarie]

 

[calamarie]

 

[aart]

Sorry it took me a bit to get back to everyone. flock is 18 months, about 15 birds, space is plenty for them 16x30 outdoor run plus a coop. They used to get let out daily but haven't recently but the shabby looking has been going on for a long time. I have had 2 or 3 just get sick and die by morning for no a parent reason. I think the issue is probably the rooster, and I don't need one at all but he's still around. I feel like my hens are thinner than they should be especially my buff orphingtons who tend to be big birds. As far as nutrition goes they are on a layer feed by purina that has oyster shell, and access to clean water. I'll attach some pics . My easter egger isn't missing a lot of feathers but seems thin and around the back of her neck seems to have thinning. Both silver Wyandotte have raw bald spots on the top of their rump. [/QUOTE]
[I]Feet by feet[/I] on coop?
At that age many are probably molting, their feathering might be weak because of low nuitrtion and ratty because of the cockbird......they need higher protein feed.
Crowding and poor nutrition can exacerbate aggression.

Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?
Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.
Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).
Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.
Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

 

[donrae]

I'd also be looking for mites. Increase the protein and wait for a good hard molt. I'm not sure that one rooster could be doing much damage, but if you're able to separate him, go ahead and give that a try.

some birds just have more brittle feathers. Once they're broken or damaged, you do have to wait until they molt to get that nice glossy look back. And it's not true that a layer has to look ragged, mine are nice and shiny and plump and healthy looking.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

The damaged plumage in images 8, 9, 11, & 12 is consistent with damage from Depluming Mites.

Don't go out and yank your birds off the roost and examine them for mites. Let them sleep. Depluming mites are as microscopic as scaly leg mites or the mites that infect your own eye lashes.

Unless you have a heavy duty microscope, depluming mites are invisible.

Besides home remedies like DE or other homeopathic treatments are useless when dealing with De-pluming mites.

The other thing is that you are seeing the annual molt which first makes its' self seen at about 18 months of age.

My money however is on mites.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Broken feathers are an appearance problem, but if you have a bird with broken and brittle feathers, yank the bad feathers out with pliers and pretty new ones will grow back in their place, problem solved.

 

[chickens really]

I believe your problem is nutritional....The birds are 18 months old and at the age to moult.....Do not start yanking out the feathers...
Feed a diet higher in protein....

What I do is feed birds the age yours are a mix of all flock and layer pellets..50/50 ratio. with oyster shell and grit in two separate bowls.....Cut out treat to 5% daily...I treat my birds once a week.....

Best of luck....

Cheers!

 

[aart]

The damaged plumage in images 8, 9, 11, & 12 is consistent with damage from Depluming Mites.

Don't go out and yank your birds off the roost and examine them for mites. Let them sleep. Depluming mites are as microscopic as scaly leg mites or the mites that infect your own eye lashes.

Unless you have a heavy duty microscope, depluming mites are invisible.

Besides home remedies like DE or other homeopathic treatments are useless when dealing with De-pluming mites.

The other thing is that you are seeing the annual molt which first makes its' self seen at about 18 months of age.

My money however is on mites.

How do you bet on something that can't be proven<shrugs>haha!?

@chickengeorgeto Have you ever seen them, thru a microscope?

 

[calamarie]

The damaged plumage in images 8, 9, 11, & 12 is consistent with damage from Depluming Mites.

Don't go out and yank your birds off the roost and examine them for mites.  Let them sleep.   Depluming mites are as microscopic as scaly leg mites or the mites that infect your own eye lashes.  

Unless you have a heavy duty microscope, depluming mites are invisible.

Besides home remedies like DE or other homeopathic treatments  are useless when dealing with De-pluming mites. 

The other thing is that you are seeing the annual molt which first makes its' self seen at about 18 months of age.

My money however is on mites.

Possibly mites, but like you said if they are not able to be seen or treated what would be a solution?

 

[calamarie]

I believe your problem is nutritional....The birds are 18 months old and at the age to moult.....Do not start yanking out the feathers...
Feed a diet higher in protein....

What I do is feed birds the age yours are a mix of all flock and layer pellets..50/50 ratio. with oyster shell and grit in two separate bowls.....Cut out treat to 5% daily...I treat my birds once a week.....

Best of luck....

Cheers!

Yeah I don't have time to comb over my flock and yank feathers, nor do i want to. Are you saying to cut out treats? Or ad treats? I've also heard of people adding protein by feeding cat food... :-/