New Flock Adoption = No Eggs

[Spatacuulous]

We recently dove back into the Chicken life. A friend told us about 4 rescue Reds that needed help, so I purchased a coop and attached run - and they have fenced free range as well. They have great food, clean water every day, treats, shade - nesting boxes etc - all the right stuff.
The first thing I noticed was their feathers were gone on their necks - normal for roo to pluck from behind but these were in the front. Sporadic/bare and picking at them.
Secondly - they shook their heads a lot and preen more than our previous flock 8 years ago. We currently have no other birds. They have not laid an egg yet - it's only been 3 days. I treated them for mites/ticks with a warm 1oz to 5 gallon water permethrin bath which seems to have really helped them.

These girls have come from a bad situation - overcrowding perhaps? Long nails (I trimmed them), beaks are snubbed, pale combs and they really lift their legs when they walk which says maybe wire floor? One seems lethargic - sleeping during the day on one leg with head tucked. I will send out a sample for spin up to test for worms within the week and treat just to be sure. They are very skittish of the free range and tend to stay inside their run all day regardless of unlimited access.

I'm looking for any insight that you may have and would be very grateful for feedback. I'm hoping to rehab this flock a little at a time and get them back on their "A"
game.

Thanks- Frank - Bryn Mawr, PA

 

[Percheron chick]

Just relax. Give them time to adjust to their new life. If they were .caged birds, you have turned their world upside down. Give them a high protein feed to regrow feathers, scratch or treats on the ground to teach them how to scratch and forage for food and time. I would just go ahead and deworm them. You'll see eggs by the end of the month.

 

[Spatacuulous]

Just relax. Give them time to adjust to their new life. If they were .caged birds, you have turned their world upside down. Give them a high protein feed to regrow feathers, scratch or treats on the ground to teach them how to scratch and forage for food and time. I would just go ahead and deworm them. You'll see eggs by the end of the month.

Thank you Percheron. They have high protein food available every AM (3/4 cup each into their feeder) and we cast some dried mealworms/cracked corn/oyster shell into the grass near their pen to entice them. Hopefully they will be full and beautiful in no time. They already look better today.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Good job on rescuing them! Since they're new to your home, and are in rough shape, they won't lay until they get over the stress of being rehomed, and improve in overall body condition.

 

[aart]

They may, or may not, lay yet this year with the now shortening days.
Any idea how old they are?
Where did they come from?

 

[Spatacuulous]

Good job on rescuing them! Since they're new to your home, and are in rough shape, they won't lay until they get over the stress of being rehomed, and improve in overall body condition.

Thank you!

 

[Spatacuulous]

They may, or may not, lay yet this year with the now shortening days.
Any idea how old they are?
Where did they come from?

I was told they are 14 months old. I clipped their wings last night and did a further inspection of the vents, necks, beaks. VERY bony breastplates so I believe they are underweight. Still very spry and already trying to escape the yard. LOL They came from a fellow chicken farmer who took 50 girls from a rundown situation with overcrowding. The owner fell ill. No eggs yet but I don't really care about that right now - just want them to be healthy/happy. I built them a dust bath with DE and playsand added to it yesterday and they were in HEAVEN.

 

[Spatacuulous]

They have also started to molt I think. There are hundreds of feathers in the coop, the run and the yard. I believe stress may have induced an early molt? I wouldn't expect a molt until the days started to get shorter but this could explain the loss of plumage and 2 of them being tired, cranky girls. Judging by their plumage I believe they are not all RIR's but in fact Golden Comets. Very Sweet disposition and you can see in the photos their neck feathers.

 

[aart]

I believe stress may have induced an early molt?

Could be, I have a couple that seem to be starting to molt.

 

[Spatacuulous]

::UPDATE:: The hens are feeling much better. Their feathers have started to grow back in nicely and they have started to lay slowly but surely. While I was in the yard I did notice that they were "yawning" and stretching their necks a lot. After that I found worms in one of their droppings. Since Monday 7/20 I have given them each 0.5 mm of Safeguard Goat Dewormer (fenbendazole) by syringe orally daily. Today is the last day I will treat them with it. I did 5 days to be safe in case of gape worm. Poor girls.