- Aug 9, 2009
- 10
- 0
- 22
I'm in need of some help. I have 6 hens, (1 red sex link, 1 black sex link, 2 CA whites 1 Ameraucana and one that I thought was an Ameraucana but it lays brown eggs, so I have no idea what she is). The first 4 mentioned have been laying for about a year now. The 2 Ameraucanas/cross, for about 5mos. I am in southern AZ. It is super hot right now. They have plenty of fresh water and are fed organic layer pellets. I switched from the crumbles about 6 months ago hoping to save on some cash. I believe they HATE the pellets. They seem to kick out all the pellets and just go for the mashed up stuff at the bottom. I am going back to crumbles. They get organic scratch and all of the veggie/fruit/rice/bread scraps are also organic.
Here are the problems: I believe I am fighting mites and am pretty certain I am fighting scaly leg mites. All chickens squirt liquid out of their butts (though I have seen some nicely formed droppings around the coop as well). I just noticed this, but I think it's been going on for at least a month. I have noticed all of them puking up liquid. Though I haven't smelled their breath, I have checked their crops and they all seem full at night. Haven't checked in the am to see if they are empty. Finally, one of my CA Whites has laid 5 eggs in the last month. All of them small and without yolks.
Starting with the mites. I have cleaned the coop/run/ etc and dusted heavily with DE. I have also dusted (DE) the birds themselves twice. I have never seen a mite on them or in the nest boxes/coop even when taking a flashlight out at night. Here's why I think they have mites. The sex links look awful! They look like they have lost weight (in the last few months). Bare patches on front of breast (red/inflamed), loss of feathers around neck (all that's left on the back of the red's neck look like pins with no actual feathers) and feathers looking crummy in general. It's like all of their feathers have broken off halfway down the feather. The sex links look the worst. Lots of feather loss. I've seen photos of molting birds and mine just don't look like that.
For scaly leg mites I have cleaned feet and legs and have dipped feet up to shanks twice in cooking oil. I see the lifted scales on the legs, so I think I'm pretty well on top of that. I just don't know about the mites. Was thinking about getting the Adam's spray but really hate to use any kind of poison.
Re: liquid poo and vomiting- droppings are not really slimy, just super watery. When the bird vomit (or regurgitate?) they then eat it. I understand the vomiting is bad, regurgitating is ok. I just don't know which they are doing.
Finally- we had a massive drop in egg production. From 4-5 a day down to 1 or 2. Now, for the past 2 days were back up to 5 eggs a day but one of the CA Whites has only laid 5 eggs this month all wee bitty and yolkless. Point of interest? One of the eggs (don't know if it was white or brown or green, this info is coming from a friend whom I give eggs to) when cracked in a pan had a very firm yolk. She said is was almost like it had been boiled for a short time. The white was normal. I've studied this site for weeks now, trying to get a handle on my situation. I've given a lot of info in the hopes of answering questions ahead of time.
Watery poop:
Red patch:
Scaly leg mites:
Mites?
Here are the problems: I believe I am fighting mites and am pretty certain I am fighting scaly leg mites. All chickens squirt liquid out of their butts (though I have seen some nicely formed droppings around the coop as well). I just noticed this, but I think it's been going on for at least a month. I have noticed all of them puking up liquid. Though I haven't smelled their breath, I have checked their crops and they all seem full at night. Haven't checked in the am to see if they are empty. Finally, one of my CA Whites has laid 5 eggs in the last month. All of them small and without yolks.
Starting with the mites. I have cleaned the coop/run/ etc and dusted heavily with DE. I have also dusted (DE) the birds themselves twice. I have never seen a mite on them or in the nest boxes/coop even when taking a flashlight out at night. Here's why I think they have mites. The sex links look awful! They look like they have lost weight (in the last few months). Bare patches on front of breast (red/inflamed), loss of feathers around neck (all that's left on the back of the red's neck look like pins with no actual feathers) and feathers looking crummy in general. It's like all of their feathers have broken off halfway down the feather. The sex links look the worst. Lots of feather loss. I've seen photos of molting birds and mine just don't look like that.
For scaly leg mites I have cleaned feet and legs and have dipped feet up to shanks twice in cooking oil. I see the lifted scales on the legs, so I think I'm pretty well on top of that. I just don't know about the mites. Was thinking about getting the Adam's spray but really hate to use any kind of poison.
Re: liquid poo and vomiting- droppings are not really slimy, just super watery. When the bird vomit (or regurgitate?) they then eat it. I understand the vomiting is bad, regurgitating is ok. I just don't know which they are doing.
Finally- we had a massive drop in egg production. From 4-5 a day down to 1 or 2. Now, for the past 2 days were back up to 5 eggs a day but one of the CA Whites has only laid 5 eggs this month all wee bitty and yolkless. Point of interest? One of the eggs (don't know if it was white or brown or green, this info is coming from a friend whom I give eggs to) when cracked in a pan had a very firm yolk. She said is was almost like it had been boiled for a short time. The white was normal. I've studied this site for weeks now, trying to get a handle on my situation. I've given a lot of info in the hopes of answering questions ahead of time.
Watery poop:


Red patch:

Scaly leg mites:


Mites?


