Neck Feathers/Head “Dandruff” (🥴)

[SuZQ_SoCal]

Hi all - sorry for length of this post, but I want to “get ahead” of many questions you experts might have. Thanks In Advance!
•••

Two of my hens have what looks like dandruff on their head and one of the same has lost neck feathers.

I have cameras in the coop/run and have been monitoring them for being picked at by themselves or the other birds, but I see no evidence that she’s being bullied or pecked at.

This started happening about two weeks ago when i changed out their bedding. I suspect the “new” bedding (which was stored in the shed ) was infested if they are indeed mites or lice. Or maybe something else is going on.

I noticed the loss of neck feathers and what looks like dandruff on the head on ONE of my hens (9 months old) three days ago. She appears to be losing a bit of feathers overall and is not running to get her treats with the other girls.

Upon closer inspection, she has what looks like “dandruff” under her feathers as well. I see no movement or evidence of tiny bugs and no diarrhea (that I’m aware of).

The feathers (pins?) on her neck seem to have new growth, but it’s a very tiny (lengthwise).

The other is an old girl (9 yrs) who was rescued after being used as “practice” for cockfighting (she’s always looked pretty rough from the wounds she received) and it’s very hard to tell if she’s affected or not - she’s hard to catch!

(Pictures )

They free range and have plenty of room in their coop/run. Their feed is a mixture of layer and scratch with oyster shell. They also get fresh corn every day as a treat - and either blueberries or mealworms. Once a week I give them scrambled eggs.

I also put some poultry cell (for the first time) in the one of their common waterers yesterday.

I’ve had some painter’s tape on their roosts, but don’t really know what I’m looking at (there’s a pic of that also).

Since I don’t have any help today, I just sprayed the younger one as well as I could with Vetricyn Plus just now.

I will to clean their coop/run and spray PREMO Guard for Poultry *everywhere* - including all nine hens themselves - TOMORROW.

I will use fresh, unopened, bedding after the treatment.

I usually spray some DE as the first “layer” in the coop - concentrating on the corners only.

Should the PREMO Guard replace the DE?

Also, I bought some of the GoldStar Garden & Poultry Dust.
Should I use that as the first “layer” in the coop after the PREMO Guard? I know the use of DE is sort of controversial, so…

Any suggestions/tips/tricks are greatly appreciated.

TIA

 

[tlcmurphy]

Those look like feather sheaths from growing new feathers. They’ll eventually groom them off of their feathers. I don’t think there’s anything you need to treat unless you’ve actually seen moving insects.

 

[SuZQ_SoCal]

Those look like feather sheaths from growing new feathers. They’ll eventually groom…

Not arguing at all, just trying to learn

Is there some reason her sisters aren’t affected?
She’s hiding from their favorite treat while all the others are acting normal.

I had to chase her, but the first two are her (and a sister hen in the second one) and the third is one of the “healthy” hens.

 

[FrostRanger]

She's just molting. Some pullets molt their first year and some don't. Nothing you need to do besides switch from layer feed to all flock or chick starter for the time being (provide oyster shell on the side for anyone still laying), all is well

 

[tlcmurphy]

Not arguing at all, just trying to learn

Is there some reason her sisters aren’t affected?
She’s hiding from their favorite treat while all the others are acting normal.

I had to chase her, but the first two are her (and a sister hen in the second one) and the third is one of the “healthy” hens.

She may be the only one molting. It’s fairly painful for them so they may hide from the others
They are beautiful BTW!

 

[SuZQ_SoCal]

She may be the only one molting. It’s fairly painful for them so they may hide from the others …

Thank you so much for both the compliment and the info!

I’ve had my two old girls for nine years and they were both rescues so I don’t have much experience in looking after a small flock.

The shelters were empty so my husband ordered them. I had NO IDEA you could *order* chickens and they come in the MAIL!

I sweated out the first six months because I can’t have Roos where I live. But GOD IS GOOD and sent me SEVEN HENS from a straight run. I didn’t even know what that was till I had seven brand new chicklets on my hands!

Thanks again!

 

[tlcmurphy]

Thank you so much for both the compliment and the info!

I’ve had my two old girls for nine years and they were both rescues so I don’t have much experience in looking after a small flock.

The shelters were empty so my husband ordered them. I had NO IDEA you could *order* chickens and they come in the MAIL!

I sweated out the first six months because I can’t have Roos where I live. But GOD IS GOOD and sent me SEVEN HENS from a straight run. I didn’t even know what that was till I had seven brand new chicklets on my hands!

Thanks again!

You were very lucky. I also can not have roosters and got 1 straight run chick. You guessed it, he’s the black bird in my avatar

 

[nuthatched]

heir feed is a mixture of layer and scratch with oyster shell. They also get fresh corn every day as a treat - and either blueberries or mealworms. Once a week I give them scrambled eggs.

Don't mix the scratch in with their real feed, it's not the best for them. I would also reduce the amount of treats to only once or twice a week.
I know they're easy to spoil but you want them to be healthy.

 

[SuZQ_SoCal]

Don't mix the scratch in with their real feed, it's not the best for them. I would also reduce the amount of treats to only once or twice a week.
I know they're easy to spoil but you want them to be healthy.

Good advice.
Without putting BLAME on my husband (who’s TOTALLY to blame btw ), we’re going to start tapering off.
Our grocery bill is out of this world!
He actually clips coupons and goes around to three different stores for all those chickens.