What’s up with this hen?

[GroveCreekers]

We have a three-year-old hen that has looked terrible all summer. She is a low-order hen in a mixed-breed flock of eight hens. The others look fantastic. She has been checked repeatedly for mites. They have all been wormed. We usually feed 16% layer mash but in August added 20% mash to support her and any that started to molt. They free-range in tall-grass pasture during the day and are cooped at night. I am afraid she will not make it through our Idaho winter.

TIA for any help or ideas.

 

[GroveCreekers]

We have a three-year-old hen that has looked terrible all summer. She is a low-order hen in a mixed-breed flock of eight hens. The others look fantastic. She has been checked repeatedly for mites. They have all been wormed. We usually feed 16% layer mash but in August added 20% mash to support her and any that started to molt. They free-range in tall-grass pasture during the day and are cooped at night. I am afraid she will not make it through our Idaho winter. View attachment 3644346TIA for any help or ideas.

I will add that they all have access to crushed oyster shells and granite grit. She is what Dunlap Nursery calls a golden sex link hybrid, otherwise known as a Bovan Brown.

 

[LaFleche]

She looks as if she is suffering from depluming mites and scaly leg mites as well.

The leg band on her right leg should be removed as it is too tight.

 

[GroveCreekers]

She looks as if she is suffering from depluming mites and scaly leg mites as well.

The leg band on her right leg should be removed as it is too tight.

Thank you so much! The band was removed right after I grabbed this photo (it wasn’t as tight as it looked, but it’s gone now). I will begin treatment ASAP. Really appreciate the expert diagnosis.

 

[LaFleche]

Thank you so much! The band was removed right after I grabbed this photo (it wasn’t as tight as it looked, but it’s gone now). I will begin treatment ASAP. Really appreciate the expert diagnosis.

Hopefully she will recover soon.

When did she last lay an egg?

 

[GroveCreekers]

Probably a month ago. She has always been a poor layer, and often lays thin-shelled eggs even with heavy oyster shell supplementation.

She has lots of new feathers coming… I’m hoping if we get on this quickly they will fill out and she’ll be okay. I think a “real” farmer would have culled her a long time ago.

 

[LaFleche]

She has always been a poor layer, and often lays thin-shelled eggs even with heavy oyster shell supplementation.

Yes, she is growing some impressive spurs already, so something seems quite off.

She has lots of new feathers coming… I’m hoping if we get on this quickly they will fill out and she’ll be okay.

You could add some more animal protein to her diet and some brewers yeast to help build better feathers.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

She is moltting

 

[GroveCreekers]

She has been getting progressively worse for several months, unlike her molts which are drastic and similar looking but last only a week or two at the most. I think LaFleche nailed it. I’ll begin treating her this week for depluming mites, and I’m hopeful it will also address the scaly leg mites. From what I read yesterday, depluming mites live inside the feather shaft, which explains why I’ve never seen mites when inspecting her, though she absolutely acts “mitey.”