Itching Chickens.

[Lavender6]

I am at a loss. I have 5 orpingtons. They scratch all the time. I have looked at night with a flashlight, NOTHING, I have looked around there vent, feathers, feet, Combs, ears and I see nothing. This is the second week I have cleaned coop down emptied and dusted my girls. I used 7 dust on week, Permethrin the 2nd. I used Permethrin in coop, run, and perimeter. They still sit and scratch!!!!
They are healthy, eat and drink well. I feed natural egg pellets16%. I give them a few mealworms about 3x a week and a hand full of corn daily between them. I change water daily with Apple Cider vinager, 2 tablespoons.
They have a run 40x12 and a pen 12x12 plus their coop with is 6x 3 1/2. I am in the process of building a 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 and 6 ft tall. I have 3 dust baths and 3 laying boxes. They have toys, mirrors, roosts, bicycles tire hanging for a merry-go-round so I don't think they are bored. I also have wormed them and use DE in dust baths, litter and a dab in laying boxes.. Is there something I am doing wrong? I can't stand to see them scratching themselves all the time. It hurts my heart!

 

[Lavender6]

I don't know how long you've had chickens, so I don't mean this question to be insulting, but do you know what it looks like when chickens preen themselves? It could be that they're not actually itchy but just trying to groom.

No Honey, I am very knew at this. I have a medicine shelf full just in case. I read, ask questions, watch YouTube, anything to learn. Hubby said I am obsessed. Lol I didn't take offense at all

 

[Isadora]

I have found out that chickens DON'T poop when you hold them--I kid you not--it's a known behavior in chicken showing

My chickens have not been told this.

 

[cmom]

I have dealt with some of the birds excessively preening before. Once I discovered some lice and another time mites. I didn't see any mites on the birds during the day but when I put my headlamp on and went out to the coops after they went to roost I discovered they were loaded so started treating the next day.

 

[Lavender6]

Just to rule it out, why don't you search up a YouTube video on chickens preening, just so you can see what it looks like. Healthy chickens will do it daily, and will likely do it more if they're feeling a little more uncomfortable from molting.

I did few minutes ago. And yes, that is exactly what they were doing. They will do that, then lay in tge dust bath, then do it again.

 

[Lavender6]

could it be mites/lice? Make sure to keep the coop clean to help prevent that

I think we have it down to preening

 

[Crzy Chi Lady]

When I first got chickens some time ago. I thought that some behaviors were odd and out of the ordinary. As time went on I realized that the birds just did these things. Since I really didn’t have anything to compare it to, I didn’t know.
Just yesterday I caught my flock scratching.I caught one of my chickens pecking at another’s vent. I have had a fight with these bugs before. So this made me concerned. So I dusted them with DE. My next step will probably dust the roost with some Chick Dust. Next step will be to launch a nuclear bomb.

 

[Lavender6]

DE isn't worth a crap for me. I have tried it on dogs, cats and chickens. I trusted it because everyone bragged on it so much. I dusted my dogs and cats down twice a week through the spring and half the summer. I used it all in my yard their beds and even sprinkled it in my carpet. I ended up with a cat that had chewed into his hide and dogs miserable. I noticed my arm was itching pretty bad and got to looking. I had flea bites. My dogs had fleas like crazy. I had to move everything, vacuum, steam, and spray my home and yard. I do throw it in the dust bath for added dust and dust them a bit for the same reason.
I also fed it to dogs and chickens. Dogs still had worms so I ordered Frontline Plus to get rid of the darn fleas. Thank God I am flea free...broke from the frontline for 4 dogs, but flea free lol
I thought maybe my chickens had fleas but they don't. It is definitely preening. They do exactly like the YouTube videos.

 

[Chicken poppy]

I am at a loss. I have 5 orpingtons. They scratch all the time. I have looked at night with a flashlight, NOTHING, I have looked around there vent, feathers, feet, Combs, ears and I see nothing. This is the second week I have cleaned coop down emptied and dusted my girls. I used 7 dust on week, Permethrin the 2nd. I used Permethrin in coop, run, and perimeter. They still sit and scratch!!!!
They are healthy, eat and drink well. I feed natural egg pellets16%. I give them a few mealworms about 3x a week and a hand full of corn daily between them. I change water daily with Apple Cider vinager, 2 tablespoons.
They have a run 40x12 and a pen 12x12 plus their coop with is 6x 3 1/2. I am in the process of building a 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 and 6 ft tall. I have 3 dust baths and 3 laying boxes. They have toys, mirrors, roosts, bicycles tire hanging for a merry-go-round so I don't think they are bored. I also have wormed them and use DE in dust baths, litter and a dab in laying boxes.. Is there something I am doing wrong? I can't stand to see them scratching themselves all the time. It hurts my heart!

could it be mites/lice? Make sure to keep the coop clean to help prevent that

 

[cmom]

It could be from molting. Since you're not seeing any pests, take some paper towels and wipe their roost on and under after they go to roost. If there are mites you may see streaks on the paper towel. I use a headlamp so I have both of my hands free to inspect the birds. Some mites only come out at night and feed on the birds. In my opinion DE is worthless. I've used it plenty in the past and it had no affect. Poultry dust and permethrin work best. Also if you do discover any pests, originally when I mixed my concentrate I wasn't mixing it strong enough and it wasn't doing the job. After some research I found that making it stronger according to the info I found worked much better but it does take 3 or 4 weekly treatments as it does not kill the pests eggs but will as they hatch out. Good luck...