Newbie chicken mamma in Montague Ca

[niellyc]

Hey y'all!

I'm a total newbie and literally know nothing about chicks /chickens! My boyfriend and I decided we wanted to get a few for fresh eggs and we wanted to get Easter eggers cause of the fun colored eggs.

We picked up a couple 3 week old chicks yesterday. They're Easter eggers mixed with a lavender amaraucana rooster. Most of the chicks are missing feathers on their wings and underthem but one of the little guys is pretty much bald from the neck to tail. The skin looks a little dry/flaky and has a yellow tint to it but not red or bumpy. They're also scratching their head and shaking. The guy we got them from had a bunch of little chicks in a small area and they were all walking on eachother. He says the feather loss was due to the chicks stepping on eachother but I just want to make sure it's nothing to worry about like mites/lice....could they me shedding their baby feathers and getting their big feathers now? Right now they're black and he said they're going to grow up to look white. Here's what they look like right now....

We have some food grade diatomaceous earth and the lady at the feed store said to mix a little in their food and sprinkle some on them. Does that sound about right?


**we are also hoping to add a few more chicks the ones we have now are going to lay green eggs and we were hoping to get some blue egg layers. Anyone know where we could buy a couple healthy blue egg laying chicks online or on this area? ****

Thank you all so much for your help!!!

 

[matt44644]

 

[Wyandottes7]

Welcome to BYC!

We're glad to have you.

To me, that feather loss does not look normal. Do you see any small moving specks? Lice or mites could cause feather loss like this. If that is the case, diatamaceous earth may not help- it can work as a preventative measure, but not always as a treatment. I suggest posting in the Emergencies section for some more help:Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures

Good luck!

 

[niellyc]

Welcome to BYC! We're glad to have you.

To me, that feather loss does not look normal. Do you see any small moving specks? Lice or mites could cause feather loss like this. If that is the case, diatamaceous earth may not help- it can work as a preventative measure, but not always as a treatment. I suggest posting in the Emergencies section for some more help:Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures 

Good luck!

Will do thanks!


I don't see anything moving but I do see little white flakes but it could be from the bedding/food.

 

[BantamLover21]

We're glad you joined us!

x2 on Wyandottes7. Good luck with your chicks!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

Good luck with your chicks!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Good luck with the chicks.

 

[drumstick diva]

Seems like 'that guy' has a lot of responses all ready to use on a buyer. They don't lose feathers from having other chicks walking on them, etc. I wouldn't believe anything he says and with the condition of that chick I would think they probably have mites, worms, who knows what else. They don't seem to have received the best of care.DE really doesn't do anything beneficial but, people who shun medications like to think it does.

 

[niellyc]

Seems like 'that guy' has a lot of responses all ready to use on a buyer.  They don't lose feathers from having other chicks walking on them, etc.   I wouldn't believe anything he says and with the condition of that chick I would think they probably have  mites, worms,  who knows what else.  They don't seem to have received the best of care.DE  really doesn't do anything beneficial but, people who shun medications like to think it does.

I'm not opposed to medications at all I just want what's best for these poor little guys. What would you recommend for mites/licedeworming? I want to get them feeling better and wipe out all the mites. They have kind of runny poop but I don't know what's normal for a chick.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us! I'm sorry about your chick. Does the skin appear to have blisters? If chickens (not usually chicks though) rub against something too much they could get blisters, leading to feather loss. It's probably not likely that it's blisters, but I have never seen anything like that before. I would recommend calling a veterinarian and asking/informing the person who sold them to you about the chick's disposition. I hope your chick will be alright!