KiloMae
Chirping
Hello fellow chicken lovers. Introducing myself to BYC and looking for some guidance. As of this past summer, I am a new chicken mama to 3 silkies (hopefully hens, but still not sure!). I am obsessed with them and I have read so many helpful threads on this site, thanks for sharing your knowledge! Hoping someone with more experience can provide some insight on a feather loss issue!
My silkies are about 14 weeks old, and as of a couple weeks ago, I started noticing lots of feathers dropping in their coop & run. At first I thought it was just from one chicken, but it appears they all have been losing feathers in a strange looking way. It's particularly noticeable on the legs of 2 of them, where their feathers have become very sparse and some appear to be broken off on the shaft. Their legs used to be more fluffy. heir skin and feet also appears to be very dry and flakey, but since I am new at this, I don't really know what is normal. Some areas on their bodies also appear sparse if you look under their feathers (although I hadn't been pulling their fluff up to look underneath much prior to this, so I don't have an actual basis for comparison). The feathers on the head of one also appear to be broken off in a strange way. Attaching images for reference.
Considerations
- I have checked them for lice and have not detected bugs actually ON them. How would I check for mites or other bugs? Does this look like a parasite?
- I have not noticed them pecking at themselves excessively but will continue to monitor...would they be visibly itchy if they had bugs?
- They don't peck at each other much, so I don't think they are doing this to one another.
- A couple weeks ago I did change their feed from Scratch & Peck (which I think is soy & corn free) to Kalmbach Feeds 20% Protein. Could this be feed related?
- I have read some threads on early molting but they seem too young. Does this look like molting?
Living conditions
- I empty out their coop about once a week and replace it with fresh bedding (aspen shavings).
- Their run litter is mostly mulch wood chips with some dirt mixed in. I do not empty the run litter, instead I rake it weekly. I dust it with Lime (First Sunday Insect Repellent Lime) and add more litter every few weeks. It doesn't smell & we haven't had flies or anything.
- They have a box about the size of a large shoe box filled with sand as a dust bath. They sit in it but I don't ever see them dust bathing
- They tend to sleep on the floor of the coop but do I put them on their perch at night and lately they have been staying up their all night. They won't go up on their own.
- We living in Southern CA so their coop has 2 full walls, one 1/2 wall, and the front is full open (w/ wire of course). Lots of air flow, idk if maybe too much air.
Any guidance would be much appreciated! If this is due to parasites or illness I want to get it sorted out quickly.
My silkies are about 14 weeks old, and as of a couple weeks ago, I started noticing lots of feathers dropping in their coop & run. At first I thought it was just from one chicken, but it appears they all have been losing feathers in a strange looking way. It's particularly noticeable on the legs of 2 of them, where their feathers have become very sparse and some appear to be broken off on the shaft. Their legs used to be more fluffy. heir skin and feet also appears to be very dry and flakey, but since I am new at this, I don't really know what is normal. Some areas on their bodies also appear sparse if you look under their feathers (although I hadn't been pulling their fluff up to look underneath much prior to this, so I don't have an actual basis for comparison). The feathers on the head of one also appear to be broken off in a strange way. Attaching images for reference.
Considerations
- I have checked them for lice and have not detected bugs actually ON them. How would I check for mites or other bugs? Does this look like a parasite?
- I have not noticed them pecking at themselves excessively but will continue to monitor...would they be visibly itchy if they had bugs?
- They don't peck at each other much, so I don't think they are doing this to one another.
- A couple weeks ago I did change their feed from Scratch & Peck (which I think is soy & corn free) to Kalmbach Feeds 20% Protein. Could this be feed related?
- I have read some threads on early molting but they seem too young. Does this look like molting?
Living conditions
- I empty out their coop about once a week and replace it with fresh bedding (aspen shavings).
- Their run litter is mostly mulch wood chips with some dirt mixed in. I do not empty the run litter, instead I rake it weekly. I dust it with Lime (First Sunday Insect Repellent Lime) and add more litter every few weeks. It doesn't smell & we haven't had flies or anything.
- They have a box about the size of a large shoe box filled with sand as a dust bath. They sit in it but I don't ever see them dust bathing
- They tend to sleep on the floor of the coop but do I put them on their perch at night and lately they have been staying up their all night. They won't go up on their own.
- We living in Southern CA so their coop has 2 full walls, one 1/2 wall, and the front is full open (w/ wire of course). Lots of air flow, idk if maybe too much air.
Any guidance would be much appreciated! If this is due to parasites or illness I want to get it sorted out quickly.
! To me the feet look like scaly leg mites
Glad you joined.
