Really dirty claggy backsides in all hens - whats the cause?

[Tina Turkey]

HI folks, every time we get new hens (we usually hatch them in incubator) and they get over a certain age (5/6 months or so) they all end up with the same really dirty feathers around their bums with white/grey claggy dangly stuff. It doesnt seem to happen to the cocks so much although we have had a couple with it but seems to take a lot longer to appear.

We worm them about every 3 or 4 months. The other day we found a hen dead but luckily we dont get this happen normally.

They always seem to have lice too and we struggle to find a solution that does not involve mega chemicals. We eat the eggs and meat and try to reduce the amount of chemicals we use. Have used various powders but they dont seem to do anything at all.

Ive looked on the internet and wonder if its vent gleet?

Can anyone give me an idea of what it could be and how to treat the ones we have and stop it keep happening.

Also any recommendations for treating external parasites safely?

They have a large indoor shed and access to the farmyard area all day (although they tend to prefer being indoors quite lot which is a bit worrying!). The outside area is a mix of grass and a wet muddy area and its all shared with ducks, geese and sheep.

Any advice welcome.


Many thanks
TT

 

[dawg53]

I doubt it's vent gleet as there are quite a few symptoms. However having external parasites can and do weaken the chickens immune system making them susceptable to various diseases and problems. Use sevin dust to to kill them, repeat dusting in 7-10 days to kill nits hatched from eggs. Do the same thing with the interior of the coop including nests and roosts.
http://ultimatefowl.atwiki.com/page/Vent Gleet
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig140
http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html