puzzled - mites/lice or not??

[purpletree23]

If there are pin feathers coming in I would say they are just moulting. Add powdered poultry vitamins to their water and for extra protein throw a hand full or 2 of dried cat food to them everyday. Max 5 to 10 pieces of cat food per chicken. Don't use dog food.

Are they just pulling out the feathers or are they eating them. If they are eating them you have a protein deficiency problem. Up the protein with scrambled eggs, cottage cheese and the cat food.

Please answer this question....it's very important. How many chickens and roosters do you have and how big is their coop?

 

[hensonly]

Quote:
Just recently I have noticed some pin feathers coming in - but that's not the whole answer, because they've been naked all summer... I do give oatmeal daily (uncooked), and I do see some feathers on the floor of the coop, but not nearly as many as they're missing!

I will give them some cat food, see if that helps any. There are a total of 13 birds, 11 hens and 2 roos. The summer coop, where they have been all this time, is a three-sided house with a roofed run, so even when it rains they have the full area that stays dry. The total floor space is six feet by ten feet, which is 60 square feet, or 4.6 square feet per bird. I thought that was enough, from what I read...you agree, or not? We are in the process of building a larger chicken house, which will also have a larger attached run.
I will also get some powdered poultry vitamins.

Thanks to all for your continued help!