My hens look a mess!

[PrincessLay-a]

Hey chicken keeping community!
I am popping on her to ask some advice on my ugly hens...

Lately my flock has been quite raggedy looking, broken feather, missing feathers, dirty feathers; this is mostly just a feather issue.

I have 4 different pens all varying in ages: one maybe 3 years old, the others 2 years old and the last batch is a mixed basket ranging from 4 years to one year. They are generally healthy and are fed the proper layer pellets and because it's the dry season where I am , have made themselves some very handsome dust baths in the dirt.

I have seen a few of them with lice-that I plan on treating with ivermectin in a few days-and each coop has at least on rooster.
My thoughts were that the roosters were causing some of the damage to which I plan on combating with making hen saddles, and that the mites are eating at the feathers causing them to snap off and look dull.

Other than my above stated plan do you have any tips to help me get my flocks back into good looking shape?

Trust me, they are the most ragedy bunch of chickens I has seen. Lovely but dingy.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My birds are looking very similar. It is normal this time of year. Adults feathers are getting old. Your birds will be pretty again after the fall molt, which technically isn't too far off as some will start to molt in August.

Definitely treat for external parasites if they are getting out of control. It won't help improve the though. Only the molt will at this point.

 

[PrincessLay-a]

My birds are looking very similar. It is normal this time of year. Adults feathers are getting old. Your birds will be pretty again after the fall molt, which technically isn't too far off as some will start to molt in August.

Definitely treat for external parasites if they are getting out of control. It won't help improve the though. Only the molt will at this point.

Haha thanks. The little jerks making me look bad Is there something you can suggest I feed them to help the new feathers that come out in there place after the molt be healthier and nicer?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Haha thanks. The little jerks making me look bad Is there something you can suggest I feed them to help the new feathers that come out in there place after the molt be healthier and nicer?

You should feed a higher protein ration during the molt. A non medicated starter grower, an All Flock, or a feather fixer are all good options.