So really what breed are these.

[CluckyCluck]

The guy I bought them from is soo shady. He told me they're RIR. I did not do ANY research on buying chickens and he just talked me into it and delivered them at 10:30 at night with a rabbit hutch I was buying from him.

So - are these RIR's? They ALL have these red mites under their feathers close to the skin. I know they're not from here cause I don't even have a coop (well just put together a tiny one today).

I started getting eggs a few days ago. So far two days in a row. Just one a day, but you know how proud I am of those beautiful golden eggs.

They don't really look like a RIR to me that I'm seeing in photos. In some they can match, but not in most of them. And how old do they look?

 

[hdowden]

looks like red sex links and for the mites use seven dust

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Let's address the mite issue if you don't mind: you really do want to treat this immediately! Here are links if you need them:

http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/pesticides.html

http://msucares.com/pubs/infosheets/is0331.html

http://ucanr.org/freepubs/docs/8162.pdf

Make sure to retreat every week until gone. For red mites you need to treat the coop especially (treat the coop too anyway) and throw out all bedding with each treatment (including nest box material).

You can obtain Poultry Dust from the feed store, and Permethrin liquid also (dilutable for spraying coop and/or birds).

Put the dust in a tied-off sock and shake it all over the bird under wings, vent area and everywhere except the face (I put the bird on the ground on its back for this). YOU MUST RETREAT EVERY WEEK UNTIL GONE or the infestation will recur as the eggs hatch.

Mites can kill chickens and bite/annoy humans too.

Also personally I'd worm them, given their condition, or take a fecal sample to the vet to check for worms. Make sure to toss eggs after worming for at least a couple of weeks: (Wazine is not approved for layers- any wormer you use will be off-label and not approved for layers.)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/687792/worms#post_9312892

http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/phi/PHI/ROUNDWORMS PHI Handout from Dr. Smith.pdf

I hope this helps.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

looks like red sex links and for the mites use seven dust

Oh yes, x2 on the red sex links and sevin works great off-label! I agree with hdowden.

 

[BrendaChick]

For the mites, I use an old salt shaker filled with DE and a small amount of Sevin. Dusted the birds well at bed time in the coop. Also, clean coop thoroughly and dust it. Provide a dusting bath for the birds. They will love it. Put some DE in the dust bath.

 

[CluckyCluck]

What I used for the mites today is called PYthon Dust. The lady at tractor supply called the 4h lady for me, and she suggested this. Also suggesting that I put some in a pillow case, and then put the chickens in one at a time and get them all dusted. I specifically asked about it getting in their eyes and she said not to worry.

Eek, I hope that wasn't the wrong thing to do. She seemed very knowledgable. Sheesh I hope they're not dead when I go out in the morning.

 

[CluckyCluck]

So red sex links hmmm.

 

[donrae]

Red sex links, I don't know if it's the mites (and they also look like they were over bred, unless mites also leave bald spots on the back of the head? I don't know) but they look like older hens to me. It would be nice to see pics of them again in 2 weeks or so, see if they're really older or just beat up.

Red sex links are great production laying birds, but some folks think they "burn out" faster than a non high production hen. I had one lay well until I got rid of her at 5 years. She layed several times a week still, but did have a tendancy toward softer shells.

 

[BlueCamas]

Red sex-links

 

[CluckyCluck]

Red sex links, I don't know if it's the mites (and they also look like they were over bred, unless mites also leave bald spots on the back of the head? I don't know) but they look like older hens to me. It would be nice to see pics of them again in 2 weeks or so, see if they're really older or just beat up.

Red sex links are great production laying birds, but some folks think they "burn out" faster than a non high production hen. I had one lay well until I got rid of her at 5 years. She layed several times a week still, but did have a tendancy toward softer shells.

I went down the street and looked at the guys chickens, and mine look SOOO much different than theirs. Theirs are big and beautiful, mine are medium and mediocre - but I mean, I still think they're pretty - cause they're mine =)

The one who is bald all over - I think it's comb is growing way faster? Maybe it's not a hen? I will take more pictures of them today, so you can see the progress and tell me what it looks like. I just really don't think I got healthy chickens! I'm sad about it too.