Hi to all !

[wildfirerhonda]

I am new to this forum , I have 4 roosters and 5 hens that free range, is am desperately seeking Help, my RIR is pulling his feathers out. Our coop is full of feathers every morning when i open it. He is't acting like his friendly normal self, he acts like he's scared, he was always the head boy, now he's afraid of everything. Please give me any suggestions as to what is wrong with him.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Have you checked him for lice/mites?

 

[wildfirerhonda]

I did and i didn't see anything. he's the only one in the coop that acting this way. He was always our "main man", now he's acting like a scared little girl. Hes eating and drinking just fine, just his behavior has changed drastically.

 

[duckinnut]

We kind of need more info as in.........

What age he is? Could be going thru a molt.

With 4 Roos, where is he in the pecking order? Is he getting beat up?

Has he been eating? Have you check for lice and mites?

What is their diet?

With just 5 hens to 4 roos is a recipe for disaster for the hens.

 

[elmo]

Is he molting? One way you can usually tell is when you examine a molting bird you will see the new feathers beginning to come in. Do a search here under the term "molting" and "feather quills" and you'll find plenty of pictures. A molting bird often acts grouchy or not quite themselves because the feathers coming in are itchy, and the whole process is stressful.

The other possibility is that the rooster is dealing with some kind of pest at night, like a mice or rat infestation, or maybe even something worse. Check your coop carefully to see if there could be any openings critters could get in. If rodents are present, you can often spot their droppings.

 

[wildfirerhonda]

Ok, he was 2 years in april, he was also the "top of the pecking order" he eats corn, Dumor poultry pellets, and all of our hens and roos are free range. i clean the coop once a week, all old bedding removed and fresh put in I also sprinkle food grade DE around and sprinkle Sevin around the edges of the floor. I was told at the feed store, that doing those 2 things would keep any mites/lice away. I didn;t see anything on him, and he's the only one that loosing/pulling his feathers. As far as the ratio, they all really get along great, we have had them all since little chicks, they grew up together. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated, I' so worried about him.

 

[wildfirerhonda]

I don't think anything is getting in their coop. We do have alot of chipmunks that run around and its so funny to watch, but the chickens/roos and the chipmunks will all eat together. I will certainly go on and check the molting pics, I really hope its something that simple. Thanks so much for you reply.

 

[duckinnut]

Molting is a funny thing. Every bird has thier own schedule,I have a couple three going thru it now and over 2 months my older girls have been molting even my roo is just finishing up. As far a mites and lice,did you check around the vent area for them and check at night with a flashlite? Has he been wormed? There are so many things.....
But I am betting on molt.

 

[wildfirerhonda]

Ok, Ill try that tonight, if i do see mites/lice what is the best way to get rid of them.

 

[wildfirerhonda]

Just a little addition, if it was mites wouldn't all 9 of them have them ? he's the only 1 that is plucking himself