Poor laying, naked chickens - feather pecking or mites or both? HELP!

[CanadaEh]

Getting 1-4 eggs a day from 7 chickens for ~3 months now. They used to lay nicely (up to 7 eggs) until mid winter. They just slightly over 1 year old.

Overbreeding was and may be still issue (but 1 rooster for 7 hens seems to be normal). Feather pecking was and still a bit of an issue. There was a chicken that plucked everybody else's butts non stop and had to be isolated. While caged for 2 weeks she managed somehow to brake all of her tail feathers - depluming mites?

I don't see much feather pecking during daytime, but whatever happens to their feathers, they definitely eat them as there are no loose feathers in either coop or run.

They were on free choice of layer pellets, eggshells, some veggie & fish scraps and whatever bugs and worms they can find in the run. My mom says they poorly laying cause they fat (are they?), so I am trying to ration their food for 3 days now. No any effect on the laying so far. Also, that would still not explain the feathering issue.

Went to coop last night with a flashlight - could not see any mites on the chickens.

Please see the pictures and please suggest how to debug the situation.

We also have EE and Leghorns in the brooder that would need to go out soon and would like them not to become victims of whatever is going on with Barred Rocks.

 

[Soy Milano]

Firstly, I would not recommend leaving all those rotting veggies in the coop with them. They could get sick from that. Some of it looks fresh, which is fine! But just, anything they do not eat at the end of the day, you really should throw away. Not only that, it will attract rodents into your coop.

As for the feathers, it sort of looks like the rooster might be getting a bit rough with them. Have you thought about getting them saddle aprons? Also, to help prevent them from getting sunburned right now, and any further damage to their skin, which is vulnerable right now without feathers.

You can look through their feathers for mites and lice during the day. Just hold them and look through their feathers and watch for tiny movements of bugs. Also, lice lay their eggs (called nits) which you can see, they look like cement attached to their feathers.

 

[Thyme4Chickens]

What percentage protein are your layer pellets? They may need a higher protein feed: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/pullets-eating-each-other’s-bum-feathers.1292903/

Edit to add: what are the dimensions of your coop and run?

 

[CanadaEh]

Firstly, I would not recommend leaving all those rotting veggies in the coop with them. They could get sick from that. Some of it looks fresh, which is fine! But just, anything they do not eat at the end of the day, you really should throw away. Not only that, it will attract rodents into your coop.

the run is compost pile by design. they know what not to eat. no rodents (hardware cloth all around).

As for the feathers, it sort of looks like the rooster might be getting a bit rough with them.

would not explain their bold butts and some necks

 

[CanadaEh]

What percentage protein are your layer pellets? They may need a higher protein feed: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/pullets-eating-each-other’s-bum-feathers.1292903/

Edit to add: what are the dimensions of your coop and run?

16 or 17% protein, trying to supplement with all fish/meat scraps i could get
64sq.ft. coop, 500sq.ft run

 

[twendt]

Ok, I think you have an infestation problem as well as cleanliness issue. Healthy chickens don't loose their feathers. I never feed my hen spoiled anything! I feel I am what I eat. Plus they live in Nirvana And NO, I don't eat my hens, I consume lots of their eggs, My favorite hen "Daisie" died and she's buried in my yard.....RIP. I have a LICE issue in early spring, but I quickly took care of that with Permethrin (Same stuff I sprayed on my horse for flies). I sprayed the hens, and dusted them, and sprayed the coop!! I think because of the nasty WISCONSIN winter we had, they were unable to dust bath and got the buggers.

 

[Mrs. K]

hmmm, that is a lot of feather loss, and at first, I saw the bare backs and that is your rooster. However, the ones of the bum, and the neck, that is not your rooster. And even your rooster's feathers look rough.

I do not feed the same amount of feed each day. I give feed each day, I check the feeders at night, if it is empty, I feed a little more the next day, if it has feed left over, I feed a little less. It is rather amazing how much it changes day to day. It is also rather amazing how much feed you will save, they WILL clean it up if you don't keep adding fresh.

I think you might have the depluming mite, but then what about the lack of feathers on the neck? I agree, I would not want to add new hens to this until you get a grip on it.

Mrs K

 

[CanadaEh]

I have a LICE issue in early spring, but I quickly took care of that with Permethrin (Same stuff I sprayed on my horse for flies). I sprayed the hens, and dusted them, and sprayed the coop!!

how should i know if they have lice?

I think you might have the depluming mite, but then what about the lack of feathers on the neck?

how to know for sure before starting to treat? Also I don't see any scaly, crusty skin it suppose to cause.

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

how should i know if they have lice?



how to know for sure before starting to treat? Also I don't see any scaly, crusty skin it suppose to cause.

Just pick up your birds and pull their feathers back and look for any tiny bugs or clumps of lice eggs.

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

I do believe you have multiple issues going on, I think the rooster is overbreeding them, you may have a hen who’s plucking everyone’s feathers, and lice.

And as stated before, I think there’s a cleanliness issue as well. Rotting stuff can make them sick.