New to raising chickens

Date sort Score sort
marctrejo

marctrejo

Chirping
8 Years
Jan 5, 2014
33
3
82
Harwood, tx
I have 2 chickens now but getting ready to get more. I noticed some feathers missing around the neck and parts of her back. Could this be mites or lice? If so what is good med to use? Thanks for any help.
 
Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan
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Is one of your birds a rooster?
 
Have you noticed any of your birds pecking at this bird's neck? Feather picking can cause feather loss. Check for mites and lice too-- you may see whitish eggs on feather shafts, or tiny blackish brownish specks moving around on the skin. Look near the vent, beneath the wings, and in the neck feathers. Is it possible that your birds are molting (how old are they?)?
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! It could also be your other hen is feather plucking, pulling the feathers out of the other one and eating them, have you seen anything like that?... or the hen could be molting. Do you see any pin feathers on the one missing feathers? Chickens often do start molting on their necks. http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/217/moulting-a-natural-process A magnifying glass is handy for looking for finding lice/mites since they are tiny, and check the roosts/birds at night since some don't stay on the bird all the time. The BYC Learning Center has articles on lice/mites and how to id them and treatments, or post on the Predators and Pests board if you find some ... https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-predators-pests-how-to-protect-treat-your-flock
 
As far as age wise i have no idea i bought them off some guy on the side of the road. They are both laying. I thought one might be pecking due to the bigger one looks very healthy with no problems. But they have been cooped together since i got them there small coop is approx. 8 foot long by 4 wide on stilts. They do perch close together and nest together i have noticed the fighting at all. I looked up mites on byc and noticed a post that had a pic. That kind looked like the feathers.
 
Hi there,
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and welcome to BYC!

Give them an all over exam. Sounds like either mites, molting or aggression. Good luck with your new flock!
 
I will do that two crows thanks. I see your in n.m. My dad is from there he is going back towards the end of the month to see his brothers. In belen, magdalena albaquerque etc. we have a camp house close to the san gilla mtns. Thx.
 

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