What's wrong with our chickens?

[Daze N Paradise]

Thanks for all the comments and advice. I'd go along with the thought about the rooster breeding the chickens, and that's a good suggestion, but we have three pens of chickens, and one pen doesn't have a rooster in it. The picture was taken from the pen without a rooster. However, I find this interesting..... We feed the chickens in one pen organic feed and well water. Their feathers are much fuller, and their eggs are more brown. The chickens in the other two pens are fed commercial layer pellets and corn chops, along with community water, and they are the ones who are having all these problems. I will try the suggestions about garlic and maybe some of the other natural ingredients. It could be that it is something to do with the layer breed, too, and the feathers lacking the strength they need. It all makes sense. Just hope they will recover soon! They were so beautiful just a short time ago! Glad someone else has seen the eggs go pale, too, I thought that was really weird! Gotta get these girls back to normal! Thanks again.

 

[chooks4life]

Regarding community water, while the flouride/chlorine/usual disinfecting agents may be approved for human use and in what is considered the human appropriate dosage, I doubt it's appropriate for chooks. My hens will go wandering to find their own water when the tank water runs out and we have town water bought in. I notice an immediate change.

 

[threeleggeddog]

Im torn about advice to give chickens garlic. I have heard its great but also I have heard that onions, garlic and peppers can come up in the flavor of their eggs. Do you notice that at all?

 

[chooks4life]

No, not at all, but if you don't consume those vegetables anyway I think you might. There is a herb called rue which is supposed to do garlic's jobs and then some. I'd use it if I could get it to grow! But that's an alternative if you try garlic and taste it in the eggs.

I think in the event of cage birds who eat no greens you'd taste the garlic because their livers aren't cleaned and detoxed by fresh raw greens. Just a theory, though. My birds free range and I've never noticed any garlic flavour, even though I'm already sensitive to store-bought egg flavour. Hate it. Never could eat the yolks. Even the whites stink. And those birds weren't fed garlic. Just commercial feed, whether caged or 'freerange'. I like home grown eggs, they're so much richer whilst being milder in flavour.

 

[AndystUK]

Hi I have read about a story of feather loss in patches.. that said it could be one of a few things now we see photo evidence.

Have you seen them eating feathers? This could be down boredom but fell its there way of saying i need protein which the feathers give them.

Is there a randy rooster around. these feather loss areas are possilbly due to heavy treadding / mating holds

The last idea could be true... if they had/have mites them the irritation would cause them to peck where they can reach, suggesting the patch near the sweat glad ( at the tail end) yjey could have dry skin / echma so this can be treated with one application of Surgical Spirit to take away the sourness and a moisturising cream to sooth the dryness. if you don't have surgical Spirit the use an anti bacterial cream or spray.

However, a bald patch to the back of the head suggests head rubbing or catching on something. again to rub an irritation so try again her with the surgical spirit but ensure you dont get it in their eyes.

 

[donnastoll4]

I just inherited a RIR who has only few wing and neck feathers and was with 9 others had all there feathers. She is one rare mess help me help her.

 

[chooks4life]

All you can do about an adult bird that's lost feathers is remove any external cause of losses, treat any wounds, and wait for them to grow back. Feed a high protein diet while waiting, obviously.