I can not get my birds to gain weight!!!

[makNcheese]

Hi everyone! I’d like to think I’m pretty knowledgeable about chickens at this point, but this is something I have never struggled with before. I absolutely cannot get my birds to gain weight. I thought it was their feed so I switched to higher protein and add game bird feed.
After that I got no results and then I lost a bird suddenly and figured out they had some kind of bugs (which I’m assuming is mites). I’ve been treating religiously every two weeks with different methods. I don’t see any eggs on them.
Where I live there is a horrible Gopher rat problem. Those rats love chicken coops and feed, so I think that is where my birds are getting the bugs from.
I got my Cochins to gain some weight, but my Silkies have gained none.

So what I’m asking is: How do I get my birds to gain weight? How do I make sure there are no bugs on them? And how do I fight these rats and get rid of them??

The breeds I have are: Silkies, Large Fowl Cochins, blue laced Wyandotte, and barnyard mixes.

I added some photos of some of my beautiful birds.

 

[Eggcessive]

What exactly are you feeding including any extras? I would consider worming them with Valbazen or SafeGuard liquid goat wormer in case of worm problems. How are you treating the mite issue? You will need to get permethrin dust to treat the chickens, and permethrin spray to treat the premises once bedding is removed. Retreat the chickens in 7 days once or twice until all mites are gone. In warm weather the permethrin spray can be used on the chickens. Martins or Gordons concentrated liquid 10% permethrin can be mixed with water to make the right strength and is economical.

 

[makNcheese]

What exactly are you feeding including any extras? I would consider worming them with Valbazen or SafeGuard liquid goat wormer in case of worm problems. How are you treating the mite issue? You will need to get permethrin dust to treat the chickens, and permethrin spray to treat the premises once bedding is removed. Retreat the chickens in 7 days once or twice until all mites are gone. In warm weather the permethrin spray can be used on the chickens. Martins or Gordons concentrated liquid 10% permethrin can be mixed with water to make the right strength and is economical.

Im feeding 22% laying pellets, scratch grain, and 30% game bird starter. They sometimes get scraps as a treat.

To fight the mites I have used elector psp once, ivermectin topical, a mite spray from the local feed store that is made with permethrin, and diatomaceous earth. The things I have seen the most improvement with lately is the permethrin and the DE. I clean the coop out completely and then spray every inch with the spray then sprinkle DE inside. I then spray the birds with the permethrin and then sprinkle DE all over the run and over them.

I will get something to worm them with asap.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would stop the 30% gamebird feed at some point, because feeding that high of protein can lead to gout which may cause swollen joints and kidney damage. 20% protein is about as high as I would go on protein. Scratch has about 7%, contains a lot of carbs and fat, and they will eat that over any other feed. Worms can damage the intestines preventing absorption of nutrients. Worming twice a year can help keep them healthier. Your vet could also run a fecal float test of some fresh combined droppings collected in a ziploc bag. That would tell you if and what type of worms they have, and if treatment is needed. My vet will do that if I have another pet in for routine checkups.

Mites hatch every 5-7 days. By treating every 7 days at least once or twice, you can nip them in the bud before they can reproduce and lay more eggs in the coop. Permethrin spray inside the coop can last 30 days. Mites can cause anemia and death.

 

[laboroflove]

Higher protein also conditions for leaner body mass. Reduce protein some and up the fats. I would get a fecal done by your vet to see if there are any parasites. If coccidia is at play you need something to treat coccidiosis. Regular dewormers won’t.

 

[ChickyMudder]

Checking in to see if you’ve solved the weight gain issue. I like all the suggestions but would add bringing in feeders at night and setting live traps at night to solve your rat problem.
Using permethrin daily or long term or in excess can cause neurological issues and be toxic.