Unthrifty hen, now with egg laying probs

[JacquelineTheHen]

It's the residual effect of the Elector PSP that killed the ants. Spinosad kills a wide variety of insects including ants.

Agreed. I wasn't sure how long the Spinosad remains effective once it dries. Do you think nibbling nighttime ants could be to blame for the feather loss or is that far-fetched? I didn't see them before, so maybe there's a cache of red mites that I never saw too. I guess I need to just sit back and see if things improve in time. Maybe Jackie's feather loss is a separate issue from her decline in egg quality.

 

[dawg53]

Those look like carpenter ants and I seriously doubt they would be nibbling on feathers lol. Now if your birds were sitting on a fire ant nest....well, that's a different story for another time.

 

[JacquelineTheHen]

Those look like carpenter ants and I seriously doubt they would be nibbling on feathers lol. Now if your birds were sitting on a fire ant nest....well, that's a different story for another time.

These are tiny ants. I think carpenter ants are large. And if the ants bite, I was thinking that maybe that would be making them itch/preen more vigorously? I'm just throwing any and all ideas out there because I won't stop until I find an answer, dang it! It's my very own affliction. Ha!

 

[JacquelineTheHen]

Here's Jacqueline. Her barbs are really separated on her wing and tail. Other places too. She's missing feathers on her belly, near her crop, and on her neck. I do feel pin feathers. I didn't get pics of the spots with one hand and the camera and one had restraining her. She's looked a bit ragged for a while. Compared to the leghorns and a black sexlink that I know just finished molting a monthish ago, she looks disheveled while they look poofy and great. Her poop look a-ok to me this morning.

 

[JacquelineTheHen]

Do you have photos of the hens so we can see the feathers?
Did those that have ragged feathers go through a molt?
Usually damage can't be fixed until molting, but the hens may benefit from extra protein. Look at the protein content of the grower, actually some of those are lower than layer feed. I use a 20% all flock feed, but an 18% layer feed is probably fine.

Hey Wyorp, I jut posted pics. I can't say with confidence that the ones that look raggedy went through a molt. I assumed they did and I didn't notice, since it's already spring. Are you suggesting that even though they hatched in march 2017 that they maybe didn't go through their adult molt yet and that's why the feathers look so rough? Could she be trying to molt but her genetics (bred to produce lots of eggs) is forcing to her keep laying (albeit poorly). She's looked rough for months but not this rough. Yes, I'm feeding 18% layer.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Here's Jacqueline. Her barbs are really separated on her wing and tail. Other places too. She's missing feathers on her belly, near her crop, and on her neck. I do feel pin feathers. I didn't get pics of the spots with one hand and the camera and one had restraining her. She's looked a bit ragged for a while. Compared to the leghorns and a black sexlink that I know just finished molting a monthish ago, she looks disheveled while they look poofy and great. Her poop look a-ok to me this morning.

Hey Wyorp, I jut posted pics. I can't say with confidence that the ones that look raggedy went through a molt. I assumed they did and I didn't notice, since it's already spring. Are you suggesting that even though they hatched in march 2017 that they maybe didn't go through their adult molt yet and that's why the feathers look so rough? Could she be trying to molt but her genetics (bred to produce lots of eggs) is forcing to her keep laying (albeit poorly). She's looked rough for months but not this rough. Yes, I'm feeding 18% layer.

Yes, I'm suggesting she may have not molted. I have a 2yr old Leghorn that has not molted, her tail is getting pretty beat up looking at this point.
Some birds may go through a partial molt, each one can be different.

 

[micstrachan]

I have a 3-year old black Australorp who just went through her first molt this fall. She had a very ragged tail and I had forgotten her butt fluff was supposed to be jet black since it had become a dull grey. Her tail is already getting a little tattered again, but my nest boxes are small and she is a prolific layer. Here she is pre-molt (her comb faded once she started... she laid through the first part of molt.)

My point is; I bet your girl didn’t molt yet. Keep us posted!

 

[JacquelineTheHen]

Oh my! That is not something I understood as a newbie. Three of my seven hens clearly molted and look fabulous and the others have not, despite their age! Thank you so much everyone! I'd be even more happy if Jackie's eggs find a way to get back to normal too, but I won't hold my breath, as it sounds like it might be a separate issue. Last night, while still worrying, I came across this article:
https://agreenerworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/TAFS-13-The-Prolific-Hybrid-Hen-v3.pdf
(Wyorp, I lived on Ocracoke for 6 years. Miss NC but love it out here too)
Thanks everyone!

 

[JacquelineTheHen]

I have a 3-year old black Australorp who just went through her first molt this fall. She had a very ragged tail and I had forgotten her butt fluff was supposed to be jet black since it had become a dull grey. Her tail is already getting a little tattered again, but my nest boxes are small and she is a prolific layer. Here she is pre-molt (her comb faded once she started... she laid through the first part of molt.)
View attachment 1707624

My point is; I bet your girl didn’t molt yet. Keep us posted!

Well. Thank you so much! Appreciate your hen pic...it's good to see her and compare her with mine. Similar. I feel like I learned a ton this morn.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Oh my! That is not something I understood as a newbie. Three of my seven hens clearly molted and look fabulous and the others have not, despite their age! Thank you so much everyone! I'd be even more happy if Jackie's eggs find a way to get back to normal too, but I won't hold my breath, as it sounds like it might be a separate issue. Last night, while still worrying, I came across this article:
https://agreenerworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/TAFS-13-The-Prolific-Hybrid-Hen-v3.pdf
(Wyorp, I lived on Ocracoke for 6 years. Miss NC but love it out here too)
Thanks everyone!

I think she has not molted. I also think the egg issue is separate. Try increasing her calcium for a week to see if that helps. 1/2 tablet of Caltrate daily.
Yes, hybrids do tend to end up with reproductive problems, but I've had hatchery dual purpose birds with similar problems too. I do think breeding for production has a lot to do with it though.