Mites or a feather eater?

[Sefirothe]

Oreo’s bare spots.

Fiona’s raggedy bum.

Big Mama’s more raggedy bum.

These three are probably in the worst shape.

 

[Jenny1624]

Oreo’s bare spots.

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Fiona’s raggedy bum.

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Big Mama’s more raggedy bum.

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These three are probably in the worst shape.

Hi! Curious how they are doing? My girls look exactly the same. I have elector psp but I've been trying to decide if I should treat or get ivermectin instead as I've heard it's more effective for depluming mites (I'd just rather not go that route & have to egg withdrawal) hope you're seeing improvement!

 

[Sefirothe]

Hi! Curious how they are doing? My girls look exactly the same. I have elector psp but I've been trying to decide if I should treat or get ivermectin instead as I've heard it's more effective for depluming mites (I'd just rather not go that route & have to egg withdrawal) hope you're seeing improvement!

I did the second treatment of ivermectin this past Tuesday. It doesn’t seem like the affected chickens are getting any worse. And I see some pin feathers coming in here or there. So fingers crossed….

I personally won’t consider myself out of the woods until this fall’s molt and everyone has normal looking feathers!!

 

[CraziChknLady]

So as an update: I received my Elector PSP from the First Aid Gear Store/Restock Your Kit on 4/18 and treated the whole flock 4/19.

I mixed up a spray bottle according to the instructions and sprayed all seven hens on the neck, vent, under wings and anywhere else I could get to skin.

In the mean time I also made a trip to my local feed store and picked up Duravet Ivermectin Pour on for cattle.

I figured I’d give the Elector PSP some time to work and see if I needed to even use the ivermectin.

The already patchy looking hens (Oreo and Fiona) stayed looking patchy. The hens with the broken feathers (Fluffy, Ding Dong, and Big Mama) stayed about the same except for Big Mama. She’s starting to get more raggedy and bare like Oreo and Fiona. And she’s head hen, so again I highly doubt it’s feather picking by others.

I do still have pinless peepers on the three with untouched or mostly untouched feathers. I’ve spent time watching them and don’t see anything other than the usual social interactions between them and a lot of self preening. Im not familiar enough with chickens to know if the preening is excessive tho.

Today I dosed everyone with ivermectin. Oreo got 1/4 ml since she’s tiny (a petite Polish) everyone else got 1/2 ml to the skin at the back of their necks near the base of their neck.

And I have to say, Fluffy more than lives up to her name, she is the hardest to get thru feathers to skin. So fluffy…

If it ever stops raining I’ll get some more pics of how they are looking today.

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Don't forget to also clean the coop and roosts too. And nest boxes. Mites like wood.