I don’t see mites..should I treat anyways?

[TheFloralChickens]

I’ve had a hen missing neck feathers for a while now - I’ve posted about her before. I came to the conclusion she was being plucked by another one of the hens. But now I have a couple more hens missing neck feathers within the past couple weeks. The feathers on their back are also messy/fluffy? Almost as if they are being mated too much but I don’t have a rooster. 4/7 hens have the messy feathers on their back and 3/7 hens are missing some neck feathers.
It does look like they have dandruff.

So now I’m assuming mites? But I’ve checked and checked and can’t find any mites on the hens, on the roosting bar, or in the nesting boxes. Would it be safe to treat for mites even if they don’t have them? What treatment would you suggest? I use lime in the coop, run, and dust bath area once a month.

Neck feathers missing and scruffy back:

Scruffy back:

the hen missing the most feathers:

 

[sourland]

The hen or hens in perfect feather are the ones doing the feather plucking. Pin Less Peepers can be use to stop and even break this bad habit.

 

[TheFloralChickens]

The hen or hens in perfect feather are the ones doing the feather plucking. Pin Less Peepers can be use to stop and even break this bad habit.

so you think it’s just feather plucking and not mites? I know which hen would be doing the plucking. But I assumed since it’s on so many of them now that it had to be from them scratching/mites. I’ll definitely try the peepers on her - thank you!

 

[FeatherAndBloom]

Here with a similar problem- did the peepers help you? My 16/17 week girls look fine except some missing tail feathers. One (bottom chicken) missing some at the base and a few others with broken tail feathers. Few top birds and rooster look completely healthy- picking or mites? Do mites affect everyone at the same time?

 

[TheFloralChickens]

Here with a similar problem- did the peepers help you? My 16/17 week girls look fine except some missing tail feathers. One (bottom chicken) missing some at the base and a few others with broken tail feathers. Few top birds and rooster look completely healthy- picking or mites? Do mites affect everyone at the same time?

I haven’t tried peepers yet! I feel bad because I know who’s doing it (at least some of it) but it’s not out of aggression or anything. Like I’ve seen them all laying out in the sun and the one just leans over and starts plucking and eating feathers like she’s preening them

I did treat for mites because I was worried about it. Their backs are actually looking better! Their necks are still missing feathers - some days it looks like they’re growing back and then a few days later they’ll be missing a couple more on their neck. I’m still thinking it’s probably that one hen and was never actually mites. I have some “no pick” lotion stuff to put on their necks that I still need to try.

I also just added a cockerel and 7 pullets to the group so I’m hoping maybe that could help in some way by changing up the pecking order.

 

[FeatherAndBloom]

I haven’t tried peepers yet! I feel bad because I know who’s doing it (at least some of it) but it’s not out of aggression or anything. Like I’ve seen them all laying out in the sun and the one just leans over and starts plucking and eating feathers like she’s preening them

I did treat for mites because I was worried about it. Their backs are actually looking better! Their necks are still missing feathers - some days it looks like they’re growing back and then a few days later they’ll be missing a couple more on their neck. I’m still thinking it’s probably that one hen and was never actually mites. I have some “no pick” lotion stuff to put on their necks that I still need to try.

I also just added a cockerel and 7 pullets to the group so I’m hoping maybe that could help in some way by changing up the pecking order.

I will say I think my cockerel is part of the problem. He’s being rehomed this week if it goes through and I’m hoping that solves the problem! But a re-do of the pecking order should hopefully help too. I used some no-pick spray gel tonight caught them all and soaked their tails really well. Checked vents and fluffy butts and no mites to be seen, so I’m hoping I’m right that it’s behavioral and that the cockerel being gone and the no-pick helps. Otherwise i might have to rehome my bottom chicken too (she’s polish and I think needs a flock with other silkies).