More Chicken and duck problems!! PLEASE HELP!

[brandy21410]

Hello again,
I realize I am extremely needy when it comes to these chickens but I appreciate everyone bearing with me. Iam still having a problem with my chickens feather loss so this is making me crazy!!! I have never seen the chickens pull out feathers just a bite here and there when they fight for the nest box.I am a full time student so i dont let them out while iam not there. I have them all on one side of my yard that is fenced away from the dogs during the day/afternoon until I get home in the evening, and then they are allowed out in my back yard, which is almost an acre.they free range all day on weekends. I feed all of the birds the same thing; flock raiser its 18% protein, and oyster shell/eggshell which I know is a tad too high for the ducks but the chickens feathers look TERRIBLE!! so they need the extra protein for now until i can figure the feather problem out. I also have been treating the chickens for 2 weeks with seven dust, but no results yet, I think they need to molt first before I see any real improvement. I am so lost and frustrated about all this. I am starting to think I have no idea what I am doing and I have raised chickens my entire life but never has any issues like this. The chickens seem to be still losing feathers, is it because they are getting ready to molt? PLEASE help I really am very upset about all of this I love my chickens and hate to see them look like this!!
any info about any of this would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Feather loss is probably due to the muscoveis attacking them,or are you sure they are not molting or picking one each other?

Muscovies are very territorial (Trust me I have been there,and it was horrible.)I would desperate them,they can the chickens,muscoveis are no punks.The ducks will not molt till next year,or not at all,although some might,weird things happen sometimes. This particular problem has nothing to do with them molting,or getting ready to lay,their all newcomers and just do not know ecahother.

 

[Pyxis]

All I can really tell you is the thing you don't want to hear: separate them. It sounds like keeping them together is just not working out. If your ducks are attacking the chickens so badly that they are actively causing feather loss, it's just a matter of time until real injury occurs.

Sometimes keeping two species together just doesn't work out. I'm able to keep ducks and chickens together because they tolerate it, although there are still toss ups from time to time. The second I saw real aggression like what you're seeing they would split up, though.

Another thing to consider is you don't have a lot of ducks for your drakes. If your drakes decide they are not satisfied with the two females they have, they might start trying to mate your chicken hens. That's going to seriously injure or kill them. Another reason to split them up.

On other topics. Sevin dust is not going to improve your hen's feathers. I'm not sure what you're using it for (maybe your chickens have lice or mites) but once you've treated for the underlying cause of the feather problems you stop using it. Using it repeatedly won't improve any of the feathers they have. They have to molt out and regrow damaged feathers.

 

[brandy21410]

All I can really tell you is the thing you don't want to hear: separate them. It sounds like keeping them together is just not working out. If your ducks are attacking the chickens so badly that they are actively causing feather loss, it's just a matter of time until real injury occurs.

Sometimes keeping two species together just doesn't work out. I'm able to keep ducks and chickens together because they tolerate it, although there are still toss ups from time to time. The second I saw real aggression like what you're seeing they would split up, though.

Another thing to consider is you don't have a lot of ducks for your drakes. If your drakes decide they are not satisfied with the two females they have, they might start trying to mate your chicken hens. That's going to seriously injure or kill them. Another reason to split them up.

On other topics. Sevin dust is not going to improve your hen's feathers. I'm not sure what you're using it for (maybe your chickens have lice or mites) but once you've treated for the underlying cause of the feather problems you stop using it. Using it repeatedly won't improve any of the feathers they have. They have to molt out and regrow damaged feathers.

Yes they have mites/lice which is why they have feather loss. The attacks never result in feather loss just a nip from the muscovy. I want to separate them but they seem much happier, anf also I am looking into getting 2 more female muscovys. I just did 2 treatments for the mites/lice because that was what i was told to do and i believe it must be them or the protein content that is causing the feathers loss in the hens not the ducks. I realize that I might need to separate them I was just hoping that they might get used to it? It has only been a week so...

 

[brandy21410]

Feather loss is probably due to the muscoveis attacking them,or are you sure they are not molting or picking one each other?

Muscovies are very territorial (Trust me I have been there,and it was horrible.)I would desperate them,they can the chickens,muscoveis are no punks.The ducks will not molt till next year,or not at all,although some might,weird things happen sometimes. This particular problem has nothing to do with them molting,or getting ready to lay,their all newcomers and just do not know ecahother.

They already had feather loss WAY before I finally fully introduced the ducks. And when the Ducks nip the hens there is no feather loss.i have heard that the ducks go through molt at 4 months? I thought it could be the chickens picking on eachother which is why i had them on a high ptotein feed now i have them on an 18% feed and its not helping and i though i saw mites, which is why iam treating with the dust for mites or lice. I donot see them picking out feathers but it doesnt mean they aren't. It has only been a week since i put the ducks and chickens together could they just be getting adjusted?

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Oh,that is called a a mini molt,baby chicks and ducks go through several mini molts,their no big deal,and trust me it has nothing to do with attitude.Seeing as their so young,they cant even really make horrible injuries,I would wait to see if anything changes.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

their probably more scared then anything,that could be why their attacking do to fear.

 

[brandy21410]

their probably more scared then anything,that could be why their attacking do to fear.

I think so too, because they only attack the chickens that are scared and running past them the other seem to be whatever about it lol i hope it works out. And ig the hens do have mites or lice should i treat them with the dust too? Or are they too young, they are 4 months old now

 

[TheTwoRoos]

i have no idea if ducks get mites,dont thimj so,all they do is play in water.