Seven dead hens within 4 hours, not attacked. UPDATE: Teflon Poisoning!

[TwoCrows]

Do I need to dust the bird, their bedding, or everything?

You would need to dust birds, making sure you got down to the skin. Spray roosting areas well especially roost bar and underneath. Pull out all bedding from boxes, dust and replace with new bedding. Dust the floor as well.

Make sure you have mites before dusting the birds since they are still adjusting to their new home.

 

[aart]

Do I need to dust the bird, their bedding, or everything?

I've only had lice and only treated the birds. The type of mites that live off the bird, and only feed at night(the red smeared ones you'd find under the roosts) need to have to have the whole coop treated.

 

[sunflour]

Bare butts can be feather pecking - and I agree that blood looks like an injury. If the flock weren't obviously pecking one, then it likely stopped bleeding by itself.

Best to see what's going on before treating anything.

I agree with aart - go out to the coop after all have gone to roost, you can then easily pick each one up and examine them. Best if you have a helper. If you don't have head lights, then have your helper hold the flashlight.

 

[AaronandAlice]

Bare butts can be feather pecking - and I agree that blood looks like an injury. If the flock weren't obviously pecking one, then it likely stopped bleeding by itself.

Best to see what's going on before treating anything.

I agree with aart - go out to the coop after all have gone to roost, you can then easily pick each one up and examine them. Best if you have a helper. If you don't have head lights, then have your helper hold the flashlight.

I bought a head light as soon as our days got short. I love it! I love longer days even more though- we’re gaining minutes every day now.

 

[sunflour]

I bought a head light as soon as our days got short. I love it! I love longer days even more though- we’re gaining minutes every day now.

Are we gaining yet?? Our sun up and sun down seem flat right now.

I got 2 head light bands when one of my gals had a serious pecked area - we sprayed her with blu kote while roosting one night. I think all the girls thought aliens had visited

 

[aart]

I bought a head light as soon as our days got short. I love it! I love longer days even more though- we’re gaining minutes every day now.

Head light one of my long time favorite and essential tools.
Yes, minutes per day!!
Well, only about 2 here, but still, better than the seconds per day immediately following Solstice.

 

[bruceha2000]

Are we gaining yet?? Our sun up and sun down seem flat right now.

YES! And you get more sun time than we do farther north
Macon:
7:36 am – 5:52 pm
10 hours, 15 minutes

Here:
7:25 am – 4:39 pm
9 hours, 13 minutes

Then there are our friends in Alaska:
9:54 am – 4:25 pm
6 hours, 30 minutes

And our friends WAY south
Sydney:
6:01 am – 8:08 pm
14 hours, 7 minutes

Aukland:
6:19 am – 8:41 pm
14 hours, 21 minutes

 

[AaronandAlice]

YES! And you get more sun time than we do farther north
Macon:
7:36 am – 5:52 pm
10 hours, 15 minutes

Here:
7:25 am – 4:39 pm
9 hours, 13 minutes

Then there are our friends in Alaska:
9:54 am – 4:25 pm
6 hours, 30 minutes

And our friends WAY south
Sydney:
6:01 am – 8:08 pm
14 hours, 7 minutes

Aukland:
6:19 am – 8:41 pm
14 hours, 21 minutes

We are 7:13-16:31
9 hours 18 minutes. We’ve gained like 30 minutes already.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

Heading home. I only took a pic of the hen house then was too busy for single pictures. I’ll get some later.

Beautiful set up!!

View attachment 1236049 There’s a lot of dust in the air as there were a lot of feathers flapping just before I got this. They’re definitely faster than my old girls. Here is Sir Lane standing tall among them though- I think he’s a happy rooster today. I’m going to give them an hour to chill out, then I’m bringing fresh water and a treat before lights out. They’re so active I don’t dare leave a warming lamp on overnight like I did before. One already laid an egg on the way home too!

Yayyyy!!! Congratulations!!

I will go back up and try to get it. He fed them fermented grain every day, I don't know what causes what issues- but I do know on the way home their poop smelled awful. If they stay still I'll try to get a zoomed picture of their backsides as well.

wicked stinky poop can mean they were being fed a very high protein diet, which makes sense if he was trying to keep their feathers growing and full

It’s possible with all their flapping. I remember a few months back lane had a bleeding toe and it bled quite a lot.

with shipping one may have caught a toe, or comb on something
i know when i was transporting one of my roosters his comb got caught on the metal crate and ripped a bit :/

So I'm reading to get diatomataceous (sp?) earth and spread it all over?

nope, that stuff just keeps grain from clumping

Do I need to dust the bird, their bedding, or everything?

everything, there is also a liquid spray

I haven’t checked yet btw, just like to have a plan.

always good to know stuff beforehand!

 

[lazy gardener]

One is being a bit odd and trying to dig down into the box like a dog under a porch in the heat of summer.

The blood seems to be soaked into wood chips and not connected to any sort of tissue.

That digging is normal. I'd suggest that you switch to hay for nesting material, and make it at least 4" deep. Shavings don't provide that satisfying "making a nest" feeling for the birds, IMO. I literally cram my nest boxes full of hay. It also has more insulation value, so the eggs are less likely to freeze. In the winter, I purposefully only keep several nest boxes inviting, so the girls all use those few boxes. That keeps the eggs warmer as well.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Heat lamps are awesome, If you are on Harbor Freight flier list, you can get a free head lamp with any other purchase. (they offer these about 3 x / year.

So I'm reading to get diatomataceous (sp?) earth and spread it all over?

As others have stated, DE will not get rid of a mite/lice infestation. Also, mites can live off host for 10 months, and survive freezing weather. So, if you find mites, it's imperative that you strip your entire coop down, clean well, treat THE COOP and the birds. THEN you will have to repeat the whole process in 7 - 10 days to get any new mites that have hatched. You should also remove the litter from your property or burn it.

DE is also very hard on the lungs, and can cause severe damage if inhaled.