Special needs chicken

[Ashllen]

A gave her fresh dirt the other day and she will peck and scratch at it (she is in a dog kennel/chicken quarntine space). It has been raining lately (so it could be she isn't to pleased with the damp dirt more than anything) I put some on her back and the most she did is mess with her neck feathers (in the back of her neck at least). She kinda ignored the dirt on her back for the most part.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I feed them an egg layer pellet as main food with meal worms as the more consistent treat. But I let them free range during the day and give them leftovers if ever available (usually fruit,vegetable,or bread). The vet said she was under weight. So I am keeping her away from the flock to see if I can't get her back up to a healthier weight.

I'd focus on her eating the pellets, get the vitamins into her along with the egg.

She may improve to where she can eventually dust bath. Unless she has lice or mites right now, I wouldn't worry too much about her dust bathing.

 

[Ashllen]

Testing testing 1..2..3..
Lol hopefully this is how you link to youtube...

 

[Tonyroo]

Is she able to eat on her own? The under weight is concerning.

This what I've done before with dust bathing a chicken. I used a rectangular plastic tub. Filled it with sandy dry soil halfway. Placed the chicken in the tub. Starting on her tail, I used my left hand to separate the feathers while with my right hand I scooped the dirt and poured on to her skin. Then I just inched my way up to her head. Also getting her belly and wings. Then I let her wonder off to shake the excess off. Then she would preen herself.

It's just how I did it to a chicken healing from a predator attack, she had neck injures too.

 

[Ashllen]

I'd focus on her eating the pellets, get the vitamins into her along with the egg.

She may improve to where she can eventually dust bath. Unless she has lice or mites right now, I wouldn't worry too much about her dust bathing.

Thank you, so far she is mite and lice free, but covered in dandruff sadly.

 

[Ashllen]

Is she able to eat on her own? The under weight is concerning.

This what I've done before with dust bathing a chicken. I used a rectangular plastic tub. Filled it with sandy dry soil halfway. Placed the chicken in the tub. Starting on her tail, I used my left hand to separate the feathers while with my right hand I scooped the dirt and poured on to her skin. Then I just inched my way up to her head. Also getting her belly and wings. Then I let wonder off to shake the excess off. Then she would preen herself.

It's just how I did it to a chicken healing from a predator attack, she had neck injures too.

She does, but I notice she Ducks down whenever anything moves near her. So I think her flock sisters take advantage of that to ear her share, hence the separation.

 

[Tonyroo]

Chicken are smart, they know who's injured or acting off.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you, so far she is mite and lice free, but covered in dandruff sadly.

Do you have photos of the dandruff?

Chickens are fairly dusty as is and if molting can have a lot of what may look like dandruff from shedding keratin coverings from feathers. It may just be a natural process that you see or something that needs to be addressed.

 

[Ashllen]

Do you have photos of the dandruff?

Chickens are fairly dusty as is and if molting can have a lot of what may look like dandruff from shedding keratin coverings from feathers. It may just be a natural process that you see or something that needs to be addressed.

They all just finished with a big molt recently. So hopefully that is it.

 

[Ashllen]

They all just finished with a big molt recently. So hopefully that is it.

I don't have a picture on hand and it's dark right now, but I should be able to get a pic of her tomorrow. I also just got a pet scale in the mail today so I'll have an update on her weight as well.