Mite problem???

[AvocadoAbi]

What makes you think it was mites and still is mites?

Have you sat and watched their behaviour?

Are you still seeing live crawlers?

Try ivermectin spot on, it works really well.

Actually I checked the price for the ivermectin, and it's outside of our budget right now. Could you send me a link for the one you purchased?

 

[cherrynberry]

We feed them Layena Layer Pellets. (Only while we are on vacation and they are in the coop and not free ranging.)

They need food all the time even when free ranging. My flock of 20 or so grown chickens eat 10 to 12 cups a day, even when free ranging. They need 20% protein to grow feathers back fully after a molt. Maybe 18% protein will do, but you definitely need to be feeding them. They are not wild and won’t be able to get all their nutrients and needs from free ranging.

 

[Chicalina]

Actually I checked the price for the ivermectin, and it's outside of our budget right now. Could you send me a link for the one you purchased?

I'm in the UK so that might not help. I bought the small bottle that is for pigeons and upped the dose for bigger birds. Looks like this

 

[Chicalina]

ok so I've just seen your update on feeding. They are hungry and are supplementing their diet with feathers from each other as they contain minerals and protein. Also probably stressed from being hungry and taking it out on each other in the coop, which seems very small. Do you only have 3 chickens?

As @cherrynberry said, they need chicken feed ALL the time as their main diet. Foraging just supplements that.

You also need to boost their diet for a few months with extra protein because of this so they can grow new feathers. Feeding them back their own eggs (cooked) will help.

What is their weight like? Can you feel their keel (the breastbone) as quite sharp or do they have nice muscle filling it out? Are they laying regularly? They will be working really really hard to get enough to eat just foraging, and that will stop them having lots of good quality of life as they are just trying to survive.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We only give them supplemental feed while we are on vacation.
Well actually, we've never caught the mites in action. We only think they have mites because of their loss of feathers.

Most mites live in the housing and come out at night to feed on the birds, so checking at night would be a good idea.

I agree, provide feed free choice during the day. Even if they forage during the day, they may be lacking in essential nutrients/protein.
I have birds that are free roaming as well, but they still eat a supplemental all flock feed year round.

 

[AvocadoAbi]

I'm in the UK so that might not help. I bought the small bottle that is for pigeons and upped the dose for bigger birds. Looks like this View attachment 2747747

Sadly this is not available in the U.S. Thanks for the information anyway!

 

[AvocadoAbi]

ok so I've just seen your update on feeding. They are hungry and are supplementing their diet with feathers from each other as they contain minerals and protein. Also probably stressed from being hungry and taking it out on each other in the coop, which seems very small. Do you only have 3 chickens?

As @cherrynberry said, they need chicken feed ALL the time as their main diet. Foraging just supplements that.

You also need to boost their diet for a few months with extra protein because of this so they can grow new feathers. Feeding them back their own eggs (cooked) will help.

What is their weight like? Can you feel their keel (the breastbone) as quite sharp or do they have nice muscle filling it out? Are they laying regularly? They will be working really really hard to get enough to eat just foraging, and that will stop them having lots of good quality of life as they are just trying to survive.

We have 4. One of them does not have this feather problem.
They are pretty thin right now.
We can feel their keel quite sharp.
They do lay regularly however.
Thank you for this! It has been extremely helpful!

 

[AvocadoAbi]

Most mites live in the housing and come out at night to feed on the birds, so checking at night would be a good idea.

I agree, provide feed free choice during the day. Even if they forage during the day, they may be lacking in essential nutrients/protein.
I have birds that are free roaming as well, but they still eat a supplemental all flock feed year round.

We have checked at night, but never found mites!
Now I think we were wrong about the mites. I think they were eating their feathers because of the protein issue.
Question- We give them mealworms everyday. Does this not fill in the place of protein?

 

[Chicalina]

Glad I could be helpful.

Mealworms are a treat. You'd have to feed them in large quantities for them to fulfil their whole protein requirement. Keep adding them in, but they need other nutrients so normal chicken feed should be their main staple. Everything else is nice extras.

One way to monitor their condition is to feel their keel, another way if you want tangible progress results is to weigh them once a week and see how they gain.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We have checked at night, but never found mites!
Now I think we were wrong about the mites. I think they were eating their feathers because of the protein issue.
Question- We give them mealworms everyday. Does this not fill in the place of protein?

Mealworms likely aren't sufficient.
I would get an all flock feed and make it available during waking hours. Usually this is 18-20% protein plus essential vitamins/minerals, etc.

I leave mine to feed free choice even though they do roam, they still eat some feed. Depends on the season and what they find as to how much feed...I've never really measured.
I do take up feed at night to discourage rodents.