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[Jennifer1105]

Hi I just recently joined because I had chickens when I was younger but nothing ever really happened to them. My situation right now is: we have had our chickens for over a year. We was given a rooster to put in with our 13 hens and everything was great the whole time. Eggs were awesome and all... A couple months back my husband decided it was time to get rid of the rooster for i have no clue? Now im lost of whats wrong with my chickens. I dont know if they have some kind of disease or whats going on. Almost all 13 hens have like these big black sore looking spots near their rear and they have like holes kind of in them and they bleed and of course they all pick at the spots. Now i have only 11 hens because all the others kept killing off one at a time making like a gang up on that particular chicken at the time. I dont know much about when things go wrong with chickens. Im just worried if something is serious because i have 3 small children that are healthy but i dont want it to be something serious to have to worry about my kids getting something from them. I mean i dont let my kids near them or feed them and i wash my hands constantly to prevent anything. And with all this happening with my chickens they arent laying any eggs either. They also before my husband killed the rooster molted and still havent gotten any of their feathers back. Please help with any info, id greatly appreciate it. Thank you! Just trying to see if i should just get rid of the chickens.?

 

[ChicKat]

Hi Jennifer,

My thinking is that the rooster's departure is not related to the chicken's illnesses unless just the fact that they had to re-establish their pecking order may have put them under a lot of stress. Sometimes a rooster and small children is not a good combination.

Is it possible that some kind of parasite is attacking your chickens? Do you have a vet you could contact? If you follow this link, it tells you how to contact the 'chicken doctor' Peter Brown.....the cost for a call back is $25, but it can be applied to the cost of any medications. http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/ IF ir were my chickens, I would get some medical advice. In all liklihood it is nothing that will affect your kids....so that may give you a little peace of mind.

Other than that...maybe this bump will generate some responses from byc folks.

 

[froggiesheins]

Pictures REALLY would be helpful. Chickat is right about the pecking order changing. When chickens see an open sore on another they sorta have a pecking party and make matters worse.
You could get some of that Blu-cote nad put that on the sores to stop the pecking, but first you have to MAKE SURE there are no maggotts or other assorted crawlies in those wounds [IF that is all they are]. See why pics are important.