Need Clarification - Depluming mites?

[Northern Nest Farm]

Feather eating is pretty common In overcrowded flocks. Not where chickens have enough space, hiding places and good food.

@Northern Nest Farm , i would be more careful with all the medicines. In fact these are poisons. And giving several different medicines /poisons may harm your chicken more than she benefits.

For all readers; be careful buying or rescuing chickens from crowded places or chickens that don’t look very healthy. Its pretty common to obtain permanent. health problems in your existing flock. Quarantine should be at least 4 weeks.

I agree with meds Update this morning..... she seems fine, seems to be ravenous still when it comes to anything that would provide her extra protein. Eating and drinking fine. I rearranged the run and gave it another good clean. Gave them a pile of fresh bedding with mealworms thru it to forage. And moved some things to make a better tunnel hiding spot and added another roosting spot. Her bald spot looks less "angry" . I didn't see anyone picking on her, but then again my dominate one was in the coop in the nesting box.

I have the camera installed now, dustbath has been cleaned with lots of wood ash and herbs in it

 

[BDutch]

I have the camera installed now, dustbath has been cleaned with lots of wood ash and herbs in it

I always put food-grade diatomaceous earth in the dustbath.

 

[Northern Nest Farm]

I agree, it looks like damage from picking and/or mounting.

Thank you everyone!

I always put food-grade diatomaceous earth in the dustbath.

There is a little in there but yes I do need to add some more now that I've cleaned it again.

We will be adding another 80 sq ft to the run this spring which will also give me the room to make their dustbath larger too

 

[Northern Nest Farm]

Ok so the one that always picks at me when she's in a nesting box and will push other hens out if she wants THAT nesting box. Do I assume its her and put her in my isolated area in the coop?

 

[Northern Nest Farm]

Thank you everyone!

There is a little in there but yes I do need to add some more now that I've cleaned it again.

We will be adding another 80 sq ft to the run this spring which will also give me the room to make their dustbath larger

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ok so the one that always picks at me when she's in a nesting box and will push other hens out if she wants THAT nesting box. Do I assume its her and put her in my isolated area in the coop?

This actually sounds like normal behavior of a hen when she's in a nesting box. Most do not want to be bothered, so you reaching in, she's pecking.

Isolating her isn't a solution. If she's that bad at picking the others, then put some Pinless Peepers on her. This will make it harder for her to see the "target".

 

[Northern Nest Farm]

This actually sounds like normal behavior of a hen when she's in a nesting box. Most do not want to be bothered, so you reaching in, she's pecking.

Isolating her isn't a solution. If she's that bad at picking the others, then put some Pinless Peepers on her. This will make it harder for her to see the "target".

Oh ok I've never heard of them but I'll look into it.

Like I said I moved everything around to give more "open" uncluttered space and a better hiding tunnel area. Ive already checked the camera and so far no concerning behavior

I'll definitely look into the painless peepers Thank you

 

[McChooky]

I gave away some pullets once for yanking the feathers out of their flockmates. They pecked the vent area bald! Down sizing my flock gave the remaining chickens more room when confined and fixed the problem. I free range my flock so pinless peepers isn't an option

 

[Northern Nest Farm]

I gave away some pullets once for yanking the feathers out of their flockmates. They pecked the vent area bald! Down sizing my flock gave the remaining chickens more room when confined and fixed the problem. I free range my flock so pinless peepers isn't an option

We don't free range cause there's fox in the area that are very bold. Will walk right past you, grab a hen and take off. As soon as all this snow melts they're getting an extra 80 sq ft. to their run.