The road less traveled...back to good health! They have lice, mites, scale mites, worms, anemia, gl

[galanie]

DOH. I just realized... I have a broody that's been setting forever (totally can't break her) and she was acting like she had mites yesterday. And these little "scabs" around her eyes... that look exactly like that. Time to fire up the burn pile and get me some more ashes!

Also time for a much better look at her. I pick up her fat rear end (well not fat now after setting so long but anyway...) and make sure she gets it out there every day. Well, I have little else to do sometimes..

Hi Galanie
I sure appreciate reading everyone#s posts, although I'm not always able to keep up with this thread  My query is would you be able to put a picture of your hen's eyes on here, please? I have 7 rescue hens and one of them came with a white scabby looking eye. I wonder if she is blind on that side because she turns her head around to look at you. If she actually has a mite infection I need to deal with it ASAP. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I am so sorry I didn't take a picture of that! I can't now because they are gone. The eye was a bit swollen around the outside and it had what looked like tiny scabs, as if she'd scraped herself. But it didn't really look like she'd done that and I had a hard time deciding what it was. All I know for sure now is that the sulfur stuff (like NuStock) cleared it up. So whether mite eggs or just a scrape, it's all gone.

 

[thedragonlady]

oh okay! Good to know! I got ahold of the hen who has now lost 50% of her feathers (it nearly made me sick to my stomach with sadness to hold her) but She is SUPER CLEAN! Her skin is so pink and fleshy, the feathers that are coming out are so so clean. Not a single red or black spot on her or any of her lost feathers. I dont know that mites is any sort of an issue here. It is possible that it is starting out so slow that I wont see any evidence until it is a full on investation? The pictures I am seeing online of mites in chickens, the birds where THIS featherless but GROSS looking. You could see the evidence of mites without even being close. They almost look dirty! That is not her case at all. She looks so clean. The other wierd thing is its almost like the feathers are BREAKING off. the hard barb part is still in here?!?! Is that usual, I thought when they lost feathers the whole thing fall out right at the skin. NOT HER. Could the wrom problem cause feather loss?

Are you sure that those feathers on the hen are breaking off? It sounds like you may have another hen who is a feather picker. Try hanging a chunk of Fatback in the coop.

 

[familycomp3]

If the entire feather (including the harder barb part is supposed to fall out as well) then YES they are breaking off. She almost looks like a porcupine. See the pictures on my profile! I know the quality is not GREAT but you can see that she is not skin where the feathers are missing but "porcupine like" lol! You can also see how clean she is. Very pink flesh, clean clean feathers. We have been collecting them for days now. We use them for crafts and jewelry

ANYONE know a way to sanitize feathers by the way without ruining them??

The majority of the feather loss is on the breast of the bird and her wings (strange places, I THOUGHT)

 

[thedragonlady]

If the entire feather (including the harder barb part is supposed to fall out as well) then YES they are breaking off. She almost looks like a porcupine. See the pictures on my profile! I know the quality is not GREAT but you can see that she is not skin where the feathers are missing but "porcupine like" lol! You can also see how clean she is. Very pink flesh, clean clean feathers. We have been collecting them for days now. We use them for crafts and jewelry

ANYONE know a way to sanitize feathers by the way without ruining them??

The majority of the feather loss is on the breast of the bird and her wings (strange places, I THOUGHT)

That BO hen looks like she is in full molt, with some feather picking going on too. Your Roo has fowl pox in those photos.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hey...if you PM me, I can help you with that. Even if you don't have word, you can do it on the free software that lives on your computer.

Thanks LM I'll get with you later today if thats okay?

 

[familycomp3]

That BO hen looks like she is in full molt, with some feather picking going on too. Your Roo has fowl pox in those photos.

OH YES!! Full BORE FOWL POX FOR SURE!! I have definitely concluded that! He is actually entering recovery phase. hallelujah!! But now my buff orpingtons are showing the beginning signs. WHAT I SHOULD have done was once I noticed the spots 3 days after owning the rooster...I SHOULD HAVE secluded him I just got lucky in the sense that he really has acted completely normal, eating, drinking, being active, protecting his ladies. He has been fully functional throughout his ailment. I think the hens are not getting as lucky. I will snap more photos of ALL of them later today

 

[LOVEIGEE]

Are you sure that those feathers on the hen are breaking off? It sounds like you may have another hen who is a feather picker. Try hanging a chunk of Fatback in the coop.

DragonLady...what does hanging a chunk of Fatback in the coop do.....never heard of that..
Susan

 

[familycomp3]

DragonLady...what does hanging a chunk of Fatback in the coop do.....never heard of that..
Susan

I think its to give the birds something to do instead of pick on one another....right? I read something like taking a suet feeder and hanging goodies in the coop just high enough that they have to jump to get it just as something for them to do when bored during the cooped up months!!

 

[LOVEIGEE]

I think its to give the birds something to do instead of pick on one another....right? I read something like taking a suet feeder and hanging goodies in the coop just high enough that they have to jump to get it just as something for them to do when bored during the cooped up months!!

Oh okay.....yes, I've heard of that like using cabbage....thought maybe the fatback was something different.
Thanks!

 

[familycomp3]

Couple of little questions regarding the fermented feed! Just how much ACV do I add to my (about 3 gallons) of mash I made? Like a few TBS or a cup or 2? How much and often can I let them eat this? I am SO anxious to start giving it to them...too bad it takes days to make :/