urgent- chicks are just not well

[MaryKreindel]

I have 9 girls mostly 2 a couple almost 3 - white rock, red rock, black and hybrids - laying an egg a day until late August when production started to dwindled until now - nothing at all. They appear as if they are molting but I think they should be past this. Some have lost feathers all over and are growing them back but others are almost bleeding. along the necks, vent and wings.

I've fed them layer pellets and fresh water daily + the neighbors give them BAGS of stuff like kitchen scraps including breads, vegies, pasta, fruit. I let them free range a couple evenings a week. Their poop is pretty normal unless they had a lot of fruit.

They act fine, they eat fine and they walk around fine but they do not look well at all. Any thoughts?

 

[fried green eggs]

Sounds like they are still molting but, seeing blood will cause them to peck on each other. Any areas that have blood showing can be covered with Blu Kote (purple antiseptic spray) available at Tractor Supply. . Shorter days stops laying as they need close to 14 hours of daylight a day to produce. You can give artificiatial daylight with a light on a timer in the coop to help them start laying again.

 

[chickenboy001]

Sounds like they are still molting but, seeing blood will cause them to peck on each other. Any areas that have blood showing can be covered with Blu Kote (purple antiseptic spray) available at Tractor Supply. . Shorter days stops laying as they need close to 14 hours of daylight a day to produce. You can give artificiatial daylight with a light on a timer in the coop to help them start laying again.

hmmmmmm 14 you say...in my neighborhood there are so many predetors that attack my chicken (onetime i saw a dog in my chickens coop,wen i checked it the fence was torn and scratched...my chickens were scared)that i only let them in the sun for a bit (cause i have to go to school and my mom has to go to work... you know by know im a kid right ) do you think its bad that i dont let them out?

 

[laura877]

Have you checked the chickens for lice? I've had some chickens get thru molt in a couple of weeks and others takes 6 wks. I have lights on my chickens for 14-16 hrs a day to keep them laying. Most of that extra light is in the morning vs in the evening. Chickens can be pretty distructive to other chickens. The least little reaw spot seems to draw them in to peck at each other until the chicken is so wounded that it crawls off and dies. Cover those wounds with something that isn't red and separate if you can.

 

[MaryKreindel]

I've looked for lice and mites and didn't see any evidence of that I will loke today for gape worm. And Ill get some vitamins and DE food grade soil for the pen and house.

My chickens laid eggs all through the winter last year. I had them in my green house so they got what ever sun there was. Now they are in a house but the doors are always open until it gets really cold so not sure if thats the difference.

Wondering though about the molting - I thought chickens only molted twice in their life (?). If so then they should not be molting now.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Chickens molt every year in the fall. (excluding the first year laying normally) Feathers are mostly protein, so it takes a lot out of them to regrow feathers. They cannot lay eggs too. Once all their feathers are back in, then they have to get their body weight back up to a safe level. Then they will lay again. This process can take 3 months, sometimes longer.

Definitely spray the ones being picked at. Also, cut out the treats. They need extra protein right now - give them meat scraps, mealworms, tuna, and other high protein sources as treats.