help with my Dutch Bnatams

[roszanna1983]

I brought four Dutch bantams this year two started laying a few months after i had them as they were young when i got them and two are about 5/6years old. The two older one have already had a moult back in march. Everythings been fine through the summer but now the ones cone has gone very very pale but is still eating, active etc but has stopped laying eggs for about a month but the cone has been this colour for the last few months. So i thought maybe it has mites. I put ant poison down in the hutch with newspaper and shavings. I regulary spray it with something to prevent mites etc. So i though over the weekend i will put abit of ant powder on the chickens on the night incase they are being bitten. Did this for two nights then in the morning the chickens tail had fell out! Really need help not sure whats going on.

 

[gabbyscritters]

Could the hen be molting? They often get a paler comb and stop laying. Check to see if new pin feathers are coming in to replace the dropped feathers.


I would not use ant products for mites. Use sprays or powders meant for poultry. You can get them online, farm & fleet or tractor supply and some feed mills. I use frontline spray on the chickens, 1 spray below vent and 1 spray under muff for our bearded guys. Also spray the coop and perches with perythian spray, with chickens not in coop. They also get wormed with ivermectin orally twice a year with kills most worms and also external parasites.

Check for mites outside in the daylite, look closely around the vent and under wings and neck, move feathers aside to check for tiny moving critters and dark specs (poop).
Enjoy yur Dutch, they are neat little birds

 

[roszanna1983]

Thankyou for you reply we brought it in the last view nights to make sure it was alright we have checked it and it is moulting, again! So that will explain the feather loss. I have a mineral spice for the birds but they dont actually like the food with it on. With the worming we brought the medicine, we couldnt get it in the mouth so we put it in the water for three days, they give you two ways of doing it. Also i have something called verm x. Where once a month for three days you mix it with their food to prevent them catching a number of things including worms. my chickens have a run on the slabs thats washed down everyday where their food and water are kept. Then they are released in the afternoon for freedom in the garden!