Naked Vent....

[Lumley Farm]

So I have a Barred Rock hen, about 18months old. Stopped laying eggs, but just before she stopped, she had two cycles of ultra thin shell. I provide oyster shell, could be manganese deficiency so I added pasta ( two or three noodles for the whole day) and a little pinch of raw oatmeal. This is two hours after they eat layer crumbles. Now she stopped laying and I noted that she had a dirty bum, sticky poo, and after I cleaned her, the skin is showing around her vent and what looks like long pin feathers. We had very high humidity recently here in central Florida and then a cold front. So I'm not too concerned about the possibility of molting. Is there something I should be concerned with? She takes sand baths, eats normally, the poop under the night perch is normal now, but there was some very brown loose stools. (I do not free range, but I do place each of my hens,4, out in an area to have this pleasure. It is about 4 times as big as their fenced in homes) pics to come if anyone wants to see it. Please any input is appreciated.

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like she may be molting. At 18 months, her first big molt is due, and many of mine molt gradually. Have you wormed your chickens recently? Valbazen is very good to use, 0.5 ml given orally, and repeated in 10 days. If she is larger in weight, you can give her 0.09 ml per pound. I would put a spoonful of plain yogurt in her food 2-3 times per week if her feed does not have probiotics in it. Make sure that she has oyster shell available for taking when she needs it. If you see more thin shells, which could have been because she was nearing a molt, then I would give some oral calcium tablet with vitamin D 3 for a few days.

 

[Lumley Farm]

It sounds like she may be molting. At 18 months, her first big molt is due, and many of mine molt gradually. Have you wormed your chickens recently? Valbazen is very good to use, 0.5 ml given orally, and repeated in 10 days. If she is larger in weight, you can give her 0.09 ml per pound. I would put a spoonful of plain yogurt in her food 2-3 times per week if her feed does not have probiotics in it. Make sure that she has oyster shell available for taking when she needs it. If you see more thin shells, which could have been because she was nearing a molt, then I would give some oral calcium tablet with vitamin D 3 for a few days.

thanks, I will get the vitamin D

 

[Lumley Farm]

this is a pic of her vent area and belly. there are no noticeable mites, but I am still investigating this. The pic is just after I rinsed off some poo.