My rooster is high steping and has lost weight.

[Big Red's Mom]

I have a RIR that is almost 3 years old. He is the only rooster of about 29 birds. He is a wonderful rooster. I have notice that he is walking with a stiff high step type gait. We have oak tree all over the yard and at first I thought that the acorns hurt his feet. Well looking at his feet I can't find any bumble foot. Thinking that is might be leg mites. I have inspected the legs and can not see any bugs...
I have discovered that he has feather mites or lice. I have treated them with 7 dust and I am waiting on the weather to get better to clean out the coop and spray and dust everything.......What to do about leg mites ?? Also hem has gotten much lighter. Is that due to his age? I was not sure how long a rooster lives. We is so sweet and such a good rooster. I really would like to help him feel better. He already has no tail feathers. Every time he goes to grow them back the girls pluck the out for him......

SO a guess I need to know:

1. How to treat leg mites

2. How to treat a bad case of feather mites/lice

3. What to do about my rooster losing weight.

Thank you for you help in advance.....

 

[Big Red's Mom]

I really need help....Please...anyone....

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Big Red's Mom :

SO a guess I need to know:

1. How to treat leg mites

2. How to treat a bad case of feather mites/lice

3. What to do about my rooster losing weight.

Thank you for you help in advance.....

1 - Vaseline – rub it well into the leg/foot every couple days – this helps smother the mites. Also if he has leg mites, the scales on his legs will be raised.


2 - Body lice – sevin dust works best for me. Dust everyone and the coop, then repeat in 7 to 10 days to kill all nits that hatch. Good article about the little pests: http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8162.pdf


3 - Weight loss – have you wormed the flock? What are you feeding and what is the protein content?



29 girls, might be a bit much for him to handle. My roo is/will be 3 in March - I have noticed his "personal" girls have shrunk number wise. He still has 23 girls but seems to keep a close eye on 7 to 10 of them. Not to say he will not be "right there" when his son is feeling frisky

 

[Big Red's Mom]

They are wormed every 30 days.

They eat laying pellets, with corn and chicken scratch as treats. They are out free ranging 2 to 3 times a week.

I am going to start treating Big Reds legs tonight and bust them on Friday. (I get home from work earlier and I have a little light to work by)

Thank you so much for the help.

 

[gritsar]

Big Red's Mom :

They are wormed every 30 days.

Worming every thirty days? What are you using to worm with? Worming itself can be hard on a chicken.​

 

[sourland]

Why worm every thirty days? Depending on the wormer this may be toxic to your chickens. What about the eggs they are producing. Do you use probiotics after worming?

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

You may think about changing your feed.

Layer feed is high in calcium - which roosters do not need and it is very hard on their kidneys.

I feed Flock Raiser - very little calcium, but 20% protein which helps build muscle, feather and healthy eggs. Although, I am in the middle of a switch to Starteena, 30% protein and less corn. Corn is mostly like candy for your chickens - there is very little in good nutrition and it brings down your over all protein level. (not that I am saying you have to stop, but if your roo is eating a lot of corn and lowering his protein level, he will lose muscle mass)

For your girls, offer free choice oyster shells - they will naturally eat what they need - how I have no earthly idea, and I have pondered it for a long time

Your eggs will be incredibly strong, and each bird will be getting the correct amount of calcium vs. being fed a set amount in the feed which they may or may not need.


Higher protein will also assist his feather growth – a bit faster, and a tougher/sturdier feather. Your girls may – may, not guaranteed – be eating his tail to help up their protein (which is what the feather is) or it could a bug, lice problem (girls are picking at the bugs and getting feathers also).

Worming every 30 days is really often – is it organic? If so, it might not be strong enough to stop an infestation that has started. Also could be that your rooster is not ingesting as much as he needs – unless you are giving it directly into the beak of the bird.

 

[PepsNick]

You can also treat the leg mites by dipping the legs in alcohol twice a week. HF NV has been a very good help.

 

[speckledhen]

If you worm every 30 days, that is WAY too much, however, if you are using Wazine and he has worms other than roundworms, you have wasted your money entirely. A broad spectrum wormer is better, Valbazen or Safeguard. High stepping can be leg mites, or possibly arthritis in his feet, however, my money is on scaly leg mites.

 

[Big Red's Mom]

Worming every 30 days with a cap full of bleach per gallon of water...Put in at night so they all drink it in the morning. Then I change out the water for clean water. I have been treating his legs now for 2 days. He really enjoys the attention. Once I get him in my arms. I have dusted all the birds and gotten out most of the shaving and mixed in seven dust adding new shavings and more dust on top. I dusted the nest boxes as well. Made sure no excess poop was on anyone and made sure the vent areas are clean. Everyone is looking at me like I tried to eat them....I have checked all the girls legs and they look fine.
How long do I treat the roosters legs? Do I stop and then retreat again after 7 days...Like with feather mites? Will it take a while to start looking normal again. As for the food...I do offer oyster shells so they are also getting that as a protein. Along with all the bugs and baby frogs they eat while free ranging. I am looking into going with a higher protein food as well. I feed corn to help them produce heat. Might be just an old wives tell. ???
Thank you all for the help and suggestions.
Any other info would be great.

Thank you again.