I don't know what's related and what's not so I'll try to include everything I can think of, JIC.
A while ago I noticed poop building up on the back of one of my BSLs (3 years old). I finally caught her and trimmed everything away only to find what I think was/is poultry lice. I got some dust for her (per- something... can't remember the exact name) and dusted their main dust bathing pit, the roost, and all their rear ends. I'm not sure how often to do that so maybe I didn't treat enough?
A couple weeks ago she acted like she was going broody (again) by staying in the next box. After taking her out a couple times it seemed like she was done. A couple nights later she stopped going in the coop at night, preferring the back of my husbands car (one night under the car behind the tire???). She's back in the coop, but now I've noticed her going in earlier and earlier at night, and staying in later and later in the mornings (at 10 AM she scared me when I turned around and saw her just wandering around in the coop) she she's not really coming out much during the day unless I go and get her. Her comb has also gotten really droopy the last couple of days which I was thinking was just heat, but maybe it's all combined? I can't say for sure she's still laying since they have all taken up the same nesting area under our porch (they are free range) but she is still attempting to it seems b/c I have found her on the nest a couple of times. At breakfast yesterday we cracked an egg with a really pale yolk (normally they are orange, this was more like store bought) and at this point I'm thinking it's safe to assume that was one of hers? It's just the 4 older ones out together, all the chicks are in a coop together, away from them. I do have the 3 guineas housed under their old nesting boxes and they are out in the coop/run during the day. I did have a questionable issue with cocci with some other chicks a few weeks ago, but it was never confirmed and technically I could blame a snake for all their deaths so I just don't know at this point if they did or did not have anything contagious (all 8 RIR had seriously stunted growth at 14ish weeks, they hadn't even feathered out and were the size of my current 7 week old chicks - never saw any bloody poop or anything though).
So, could all of this be from the lice just draining her? If so, how often can I dust her to get rid of them? I don't want to make thins worse by over doing it and taxing her system that much more. Is there something else underlying that might be exasperated by the heat? They have full access to water and shade during the day and tend not to venture out, but I'm just not sure at this point. I did have a third BSL that disappeared a couple weeks ago. At first I didn't think much of it b/c she has disappeared for a day or two at a time, but still no sign of her. I think she was having some egg issues but I could never get my hands on her to really check her out. For all I know she could have been on a nest or something way out back in the woods? (Thinking back her comb was a little droopy, but it never really stood straight up b/c it was so big). Or maybe they are coming to the end of their lifespan? I have heard that some of the hybrids don't have the longest lifespan, but not sure if BSLs are included in the or not.
Any thoughts?
A while ago I noticed poop building up on the back of one of my BSLs (3 years old). I finally caught her and trimmed everything away only to find what I think was/is poultry lice. I got some dust for her (per- something... can't remember the exact name) and dusted their main dust bathing pit, the roost, and all their rear ends. I'm not sure how often to do that so maybe I didn't treat enough?
A couple weeks ago she acted like she was going broody (again) by staying in the next box. After taking her out a couple times it seemed like she was done. A couple nights later she stopped going in the coop at night, preferring the back of my husbands car (one night under the car behind the tire???). She's back in the coop, but now I've noticed her going in earlier and earlier at night, and staying in later and later in the mornings (at 10 AM she scared me when I turned around and saw her just wandering around in the coop) she she's not really coming out much during the day unless I go and get her. Her comb has also gotten really droopy the last couple of days which I was thinking was just heat, but maybe it's all combined? I can't say for sure she's still laying since they have all taken up the same nesting area under our porch (they are free range) but she is still attempting to it seems b/c I have found her on the nest a couple of times. At breakfast yesterday we cracked an egg with a really pale yolk (normally they are orange, this was more like store bought) and at this point I'm thinking it's safe to assume that was one of hers? It's just the 4 older ones out together, all the chicks are in a coop together, away from them. I do have the 3 guineas housed under their old nesting boxes and they are out in the coop/run during the day. I did have a questionable issue with cocci with some other chicks a few weeks ago, but it was never confirmed and technically I could blame a snake for all their deaths so I just don't know at this point if they did or did not have anything contagious (all 8 RIR had seriously stunted growth at 14ish weeks, they hadn't even feathered out and were the size of my current 7 week old chicks - never saw any bloody poop or anything though).
So, could all of this be from the lice just draining her? If so, how often can I dust her to get rid of them? I don't want to make thins worse by over doing it and taxing her system that much more. Is there something else underlying that might be exasperated by the heat? They have full access to water and shade during the day and tend not to venture out, but I'm just not sure at this point. I did have a third BSL that disappeared a couple weeks ago. At first I didn't think much of it b/c she has disappeared for a day or two at a time, but still no sign of her. I think she was having some egg issues but I could never get my hands on her to really check her out. For all I know she could have been on a nest or something way out back in the woods? (Thinking back her comb was a little droopy, but it never really stood straight up b/c it was so big). Or maybe they are coming to the end of their lifespan? I have heard that some of the hybrids don't have the longest lifespan, but not sure if BSLs are included in the or not.
Any thoughts?
