Signs of mites but no mites to be found. What's the matter?

[alisamcd]

3 of my 5 chickens started losing feathers on their necks, heads and breasts. I also noticed some grey residue on their litter. Their eggs are often bumpy, wrinkled or have spots, which never used to happen before. Thinking it was mites, I've done lots of diatomaceous earth baths and dusted in their coop, to no avail. I finally took the coop (Omlet Eglu Cube) apart and sprayed everything down but did not see any mites. I have never seen any lice or mites on my chickens. Could there be some other problem? Could the mites be living in the soil or something?

Regarding their nutrition, they don't free range but I feed them fermented Scratch n Peck layer feed (18% protein) and make sure they get veggies and weeds every day and there is always oyster shell and grit available. Their run is 7x21', which seems like it should

large enough to prevent cabin fever type aggression. The 3 who are showing these signs are probably the lowest in the pecking order. I don't generally see them beating up on each other though, so the fact that they are affected could also have to do with where they have to sleep in the coop, I imagine.

Any chicken health sleuths/experts have ideas as to what might be going on?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I see that in some of my birds this time of year as feathers are getting old. Where are you located?

 

[Perris]

hello @alisamcd ! welcome to BYC
have you got a photo of the affected eggs? I have one that lays soft shelled eggs for about a month at the start of her molt - maybe something similar going on with your birds?

 

[alisamcd]

I see that in some of my birds this time of year as feathers are getting old. Where are you located?

I'm in Los Angeles.

 

[alisamcd]

I see that in some of my birds this time of year as feathers are getting old. Where are you located?

Thanks for your response! I'm attaching photos. I didn't think they'd molt till late fall like last year. You can see the eggs either have dark spots, are misshapen or have bumps.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

3 of my 5 chickens started losing feathers on their necks, heads and breasts. I also noticed some grey residue on their litter. Their eggs are often bumpy, wrinkled or have spots, which never used to happen before. Thinking it was mites, I've done lots of diatomaceous earth baths and dusted in their coop, to no avail. I finally took the coop (Omlet Eglu Cube) apart and sprayed everything down but did not see any mites. I have never seen any lice or mites on my chickens. Could there be some other problem? Could the mites be living in the soil or something?

Regarding their nutrition, they don't free range but I feed them fermented Scratch n Peck layer feed (18% protein) and make sure they get veggies and weeds every day and there is always oyster shell and grit available. Their run is 7x21', which seems like it shouldView attachment 1829623 View attachment 1829624 View attachment 1829625 View attachment 1829626 large enough to prevent cabin fever type aggression. The 3 who are showing these signs are probably the lowest in the pecking order. I don't generally see them beating up on each other though, so the fact that they are affected could also have to do with where they have to sleep in the coop, I imagine.

Any chicken health sleuths/experts have ideas as to what might be going on?

How many chickens do you have?

You mention the 3 are lowest in order, but it could also have something to do where they sleep in the coop - how much space is in the coop?

To me, it looks like they are being plucked at - do you watch during roosting time to see if they are being picked at them?

The eggs - how much stress is in the flock? Have they ever had any respiratory disease? The very first one, looks a bit like a body checked egg, this is usually caused by stress/disturbance when being laid, do you have some hens that are ruling the nesting boxes/coop and running out the lower in pecking order girls? (I'm assuming these eggs are from the picked at ones).

Also, do they eat all the food including the powder that is in the feed or are they picking and choosing the Scratch and Peck. Even though it has a good protein content, sometimes with loose feed like that, hens will eat their favorite out (for example, the corn, but won't eat the peas) so they aren't getting a complete balanced ration. The powder or coating on the feed is also vitamins/mineral/nutrients, so if they are getting all that, then they may be lacking. Some people soak their feed to help encourage everyone to eat all of it.

 

[alisamcd]

How many chickens do you have?

You mention the 3 are lowest in order, but it could also have something to do where they sleep in the coop - how much space is in the coop?

To me, it looks like they are being plucked at - do you watch during roosting time to see if they are being picked at them?

The eggs - how much stress is in the flock? Have they ever had any respiratory disease? The very first one, looks a bit like a body checked egg, this is usually caused by stress/disturbance when being laid, do you have some hens that are ruling the nesting boxes/coop and running out the lower in pecking order girls? (I'm assuming these eggs are from the picked at ones).

Also, do they eat all the food including the powder that is in the feed or are they picking and choosing the Scratch and Peck. Even though it has a good protein content, sometimes with loose feed like that, hens will eat their favorite out (for example, the corn, but won't eat the peas) so they aren't getting a complete balanced ration. The powder or coating on the feed is also vitamins/mineral/nutrients, so if they are getting all that, then they may be lacking. Some people soak their feed to help encourage everyone to eat all of it.

Thanks for responding! I have 5 total and they are in an Omlet Eglu Cube, which is supposed to be big enough for 8-10 chickens. I really don't see them beating up on each other but I haven't observed them when they are actually in the coop. They usually lay one at a time and I've never seen any drama related to getting in the coop to lay, but I don't have a chicken cam either. Maybe I should get one ;-p They have never had respiratory problems and I feed them fermented (aka, soaked in water for several days) Scratch n Peck, so all of the minerals, etc are absorbed into the slop that they get and they eat every last bit.

 

[Perris]

Yes I thought it was early for molting too, but centrarchid has been monitoring carefully and posted about it, and some of mine have been on a long slow one for maybe a month now. On the other hand, mine don't lose feathers in patches on the throat as yours have, more a sort of thinning over a wider region. Maybe a chicken cam is the answer!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have 5 total and they are in an Omlet Eglu Cube, which is supposed to be big enough for 8-10 chickens.

You may want to observe them at roosting time just to see what's going on.
What dimensions is the cube? Most pre-fab housing is notoriously lacking in space, most of the time it's 1-2sq ft per chicken on recommendations instead of a more generous 4sqft which is more appropriate for large fowl hens. (more space is always better)

 

[alisamcd]

You may want to observe them at roosting time just to see what's going on.
What dimensions is the cube? Most pre-fab housing is notoriously lacking in space, most of the time it's 1-2sq ft per chicken on recommendations instead of a more generous 4sqft which is more appropriate for large fowl hens. (more space is always better)

I will try that. The Eglu Cube is a little over 2x3x3. I'm not great at math but it seems like it's more like the 1-2 sq ft than the 4 that you're talking about. The thing that makes me think that it's not just them pecking each other though is the grey film over their litter. I was reading that that is a sure sign of mites, but I don't know where they could be living!!