Help with mite problem. Combs pale

[FowlWeatherFriend]

I need help. I posted a topic a while back concerning my chickens losing their feathers. The response I got stated they were probably molting. I didn't think they molted in the middle of the winter, but went with that explanation since I'm a newbie to the chicken world. Now I know it's more serious. I think they have some sort of an external parasite. Some of them are missing many feathers on the back and/or front of the neck and on the chest. One of our Barred Rocks has feathers at the beginning of the tail area that seem to be bitten off. The two Australorps seem to have paler combs than usual to me. They also look a little grainy in appearance. My husband thinks I'm over-reacting, but I think they are getting sick from this. They are acting fine, but the combs just look different to me. The confusing part is that not all the chickens seem to be affected. The two Easter Eggers seem fine and some just seem to have an ever-so-tiny bald spot (just a small speck) behind their combs. The egg production seems to be down a little (approximately 9/day from 14 girls when we used to get 12-14/day).

The Chickens for Dummies book just states that making sure they have a dust bath available is the treatment for this. They do have a dust bath in their run but with all the snow lately, they've been kept inside the coop. We put a tub in the coop with sand, DE, some wood ashes, and dirt. I've mixed DE in the bedding on the floor and in pine shavings in the nest boxes. I've been putting Avia Charge in their water every couple of days since this started thinking that maybe they just needed a little vitamins/minerals. They are fed commercial layer rations.

I've read some posts about Ivermectin. Is this what I should use on them? If so, do I get it at the farm supply store? Is there a strength I need to look for? I've read some posts about putting in the water, but only the injectable kind. I'm so confused. I've also read that Sevin is helpful. Can it just be mixed in with the bedding? If Sevin is used, then do we need to dust the chickens also. With either of these medications, can we continue to eat eggs or do we need to discard them for a while?

Please help. I don't want to lose any of my girls!

Amy

 

[purpletree23]

Search 'mites' on this site. Lots of valuable information that will help right away.

 

[chookchick]

Have you actually seen any mites or lice? Have you looked them all over carefully, and checked them on the roost at night with a flashlight? If you haven't seen anything, I don't think you have lice or mites. They aren't pulling their own feathers out, right? When they molt, their combs will usually shrink and become pale, this is completely natural. They will also quit laying, this too is natural. You can tell that they are molting because you will see feathers under the roost of the ones that are molting. After a while you will see the new feathers coming in that look like little pocupine quills. They will also act rather crotchety and a bit lethargic while molting. I would not do any treatment for lice or mites unless you have established that they have a actual infestation. Also--do you have a rooster? He'll also be removing feathers from the hens.