mites VS. protein deficiency

[jebar77]

where to start.... i have 8 ri reds and i noticed today that their vent areas are bare and some of them are loosing their feathers around their tail feathers and up their backs. i have scoured them looking for mites or lice and ill be dammed if i can see any movement around the feather bases. some of the birds are white so i think i would be able to see red mites. i have never dealt with pests like this before if it is pests. so i guess my question is could it be harmful to give them a seven treatment if they don't have mites.

i have noticed them plucking out their own feathers and each others.... but I'm not experienced enuf to know if they are doing it cause they are eating them or cause they are itchy.

kinda just fyi... i had 7 ri red buff mixes living in the same coop with no problems and the coop was cleaned before they were moved into it.

i also tried to look in the nesting boxes to see if i could see any mites or any bugs at all.... and i saw nothing.

any thoughts

thanks
scott

 

[BuffOrpington88]

Do the base of their feathers look very dirty? If so, it could be mites.

 

[jebar77]

they don't.... but i got a bag of diatom dust and they all got a dusting along with cleaning every corner of the coop and dusting the entire inside of the coop and adding new shavings. guess we'll see how this goes,