Mites or a feather eater?

[Sefirothe]

I have 7 hens, no roo. Two of the hens have very raggedy or bare patches around the base of their tail. One or two others seem like they are starting to head that way with the tips of their feathers around their tail looking broken off.

I don’t see mites on them or the egg cases on their feather shaft.

I spent a half an hour here or there watching them interact and don’t see any obvious feather plucking but I did put pinless peepers on two of them with no feather loss that are highest on the pecking order.

The odd thing is that the one starting to show the tips broken off is the head hen. I can’t see her letting any of the others pick on her.

The two worst looking ones. They both have bare patches of skin that can be seen as they move around but no actual wounds.

And this is the head hen who is starting to show the tips of her feathers breaking off.

 

[Yardfulla poopers]

I would treat for mites whether you see them or not. Ever since a bad mite/lice outbreak a few years ago where just a few hens showed random bald spots, mine get a bath twice annually in Elector PSP (spinosad).

 

[townchicks]

I think you might have feather mites, which are not visible to the naked eye. Ivermectin pour on for cattle, a couple of drops on the back of their necks. Repeat in 10 to 14 days. The broken feathers will not improve, you will have to wait for then to molt naturally.

 

[Sefirothe]

I’ve got a small bottle of Elector PSP coming and will treat all seven of my girls. Hopefully this helps and it is mites.

I don’t want to see what the fall molt will look like with a feather eater…..a bloodbath I’d imagine. Ugh.

 

[Amer]

Normally I am all for Elector PSP bit from what I've read, Ivermectin is better for depluming mites.

 

[Sefirothe]

Normally I am all for Elector PSP bit from what I've read, Ivermectin is better for depluming mites.

i wonder if I can do both. Apply the Elector then wait a few days and apply ivermectin?

Ivermectin has an egg withdrawal period also right?

 

[Amer]

i wonder if I can do both. Apply the Elector then wait a few days and apply ivermectin?

Ivermectin has an egg withdrawal period also right?

Sure you could. Perhaps your birds have mites you don't see anyway.

I don't know if Ivermectin has an egg withdrawal period, it's been a while since I have used it.

 

[townchicks]

i wonder if I can do both. Apply the Elector then wait a few days and apply ivermectin?

Ivermectin has an egg withdrawal period also right?

Ivermectin does have an egg withdrawal period, but I forget how long. I eat them anyway, as do some others here. That's up to you, at your own risk, but if you're selling eggs, don't, to be safe. For feather (depluming mites) you need to work from the inside as they live in the feather shaft and sprays won't work. I've dealt with them a few times, and in addition to treating now, I will also recommend doseing right as they start their molt. It's good to have the Elector on hand, for red or fowl mites anyway. You can check for red mites at night, run a white paper towel underneath the roost. If it comes out smeared with red, you've got those too.

 

[Sefirothe]

Will using ivermectin topically also work on internal parasites should they have them?

 

[Lvchickenmama]

I’m having the exact same problem. Following for answers!