Need Clarification - Depluming mites?

[dbounds10]

Ok I have a hen that I got from a lady as a kind of rescue. She was being bullied in her flock. I have come to the conclusion that is was not bullying but depluming mites. I have heard that they don’t necessarily spread to all the others cause if they have food they don’t need to. None of my others have a single sign of bugs and feathers are all perfect. They are all on 20% full plume Kalmbach right now as they are just now coming out of molt. The hen in question did get some feathers back when I switched feed but quickly was right back to looking ratty. Long story short, I will treat the entire flock but do I need to deep clean the coop also (yuck and damnit lol). Also, Eprinex has no withdrawal but is it as effective as ivermectin? Also does anyone know the proper dose for BOTH meds?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Looks like typical feather picking, mating and bullying damage to me. Perhaps they were overcrowded or had too many roosters or not enough space....

Broken and worn off feathers where the shaft is still intact in the skin will not be replaced until she goes through a molt. You may see some new feathers coming in which is typical when plucked out.

Do you see bugs on her? If so, give her a dusting with a Permethrin based dust. Treat any caging/housing she's been in.
Hopefully she will be fit to come out of quarantine/separation in a few weeks and won't spread bugs or illness to your existing flock.

Where are you finding that there's no withdrawal period when using Eprinex (Eprinectin)?

 

[dbounds10]

Looks like typical feather picking, mating and bullying damage to me. Perhaps they were overcrowded or had too many roosters or not enough space....

Broken and worn off feathers where the shaft is still intact in the skin will not be replaced until she goes through a molt. You may see some new feathers coming in which is typical when plucked out.

Do you see bugs on her? If so, give her a dusting with a Permethrin based dust. Treat any caging/housing she's been in.
Hopefully she will be fit to come out of quarantine/separation in a few weeks and won't spread bugs or illness to your existing flock.

Where are you finding that there's no withdrawal period when using Eprinex (Eprinectin)?

@Wyorp Rock I have had her for about 5 ish months and she came from a huge place. Was told she was a couple of years old but don’t really know. I got her and a sweet Roo at the same time and I did quarantine them for 2 weeks when I got them before integrating them. Was told she was picked on and was a roo favorite. My roo i know mates with her but here is where I thought mites. I switched them all over to the feather fixer when they started molting and she got a bunch of feathers back but never lost all those ragged shafts. And the new feathers that came in, some were good and some ended up being just shafts. She never got any back on her tail, just raggedy shafts. The only time I have ever seen anyone pick at her is when I put the saddle on and they pecked at that a little. She is also a bit thin as I can feel her keel bone. She eats like an hog! Acts perfectly normal and has never stopped laying daily dinosaur size eggs. Again, not a single other bird has issues. I have checked them all up and down and never seen a bug. Before I got this brand new flock last spring I deep cleaned, pressure washed and sanitized the coop and added fresh expensive a$$ hemp. But if I have to redo it, I guess I will lol. DANG IT!

As for the Eprinex, I read it a few times on here but when I googled it did say there was a withdrawal. I know some people follow that and some don’t. It’s can’t hurt to treat for the depluming just in case right? I am just really really bad a math so doage is an issue for me

 

[coach723]

She may not have done a full molt, and since you say she's thin, that could be a contributing factor also. It takes a lot of protein to make feathers. Not knowing her age is also a factor. I don't think it's de plumbing mites either, it looks to me also like rooster damage and feather picking. I would concentrate on getting her healthy, getting some weight on her (if you haven't done so I would either get a fecal test to check for internal parasites, or I would worm her -that can also cause weight loss). Sometimes during molt, with bare patches and new shafts, that can also attract attention and picking by others. She may be a very submissive bird, which means she can easily be kept from feeders by others, and can become a 'favorite' of a roo. Add a feeder or two, to give her more opportunities and so that higher pecking order birds can't guard them all. I think once she's eating enough and regularly, then the feather growth will probably be ok, but it will take some time, and may not happen until the next molt.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I switched them all over to the feather fixer when they started molting and she got a bunch of feathers back but never lost all those ragged shafts. And the new feathers that came in, some were good and some ended up being just shafts.

I'd either have a fecal float and see if she's got worms or just deworm her.

Feed her a higher protein feed like an All Flock Feed or even Chick Starter. Yes! You can feed either one of these feeds to everyone if you wish, just provide oyster shell free choice. Aim for 18-20% protein feed and limit treats.
When she does indeed go through a molt, then she will replace all those broken feathers.

Here's a tip. There's nothing wrong with giving a "feather fixer" formula. It's marketing genius actually. Companies are very savvy with wording/labels to keep their customers from switching feeds during certain times of the year like molting. All a feather fixer formula is, is a "higher" protein layer feed. Where most typical layer feeds are 16-17% protein, feather fixer is usually 18%.
Again, there's nothing wrong with the feed, it's still a balanced poultry feed and if fresh, nothing wrong with feeding it at all.

It's good you aren't seeing bugs on her. If she did have depluming mites, she would be miserable and picking/plucking at herself constantly, digging at the base of her feathers and plucking them out. Wing feathers would look stripped and bare due to the attempt of the hen trying to get rid of the mites which live under the skin along the feather shaft.

 

[dbounds10]

I'd either have a fecal float and see if she's got worms or just deworm her.

Feed her a higher protein feed like an All Flock Feed or even Chick Starter. Yes! You can feed either one of these feeds to everyone if you wish, just provide oyster shell free choice. Aim for 18-20% protein feed and limit treats.
When she does indeed go through a molt, then she will replace all those broken feathers.

Here's a tip. There's nothing wrong with giving a "feather fixer" formula. It's marketing genius actually. Companies are very savvy with wording/labels to keep their customers from switching feeds during certain times of the year like molting. All a feather fixer formula is, is a "higher" protein layer feed. Where most typical layer feeds are 16-17% protein, feather fixer is usually 18%.
Again, there's nothing wrong with the feed, it's still a balanced poultry feed and if fresh, nothing wrong with feeding it at all.

It's good you aren't seeing bugs on her. If she did have depluming mites, she would be miserable and picking/plucking at herself constantly, digging at the base of her feathers and plucking them out. Wing feathers would look stripped and bare due to the attempt of the hen trying to get rid of the mites which live under the skin along the feather shaft.

@Wyorp Rock thanks for all the info! They are all on 20% Kalmbach full plume and have been for a few months. She rarely gets pushed off food and is normally the first one to the food every morning. Her crop looks like she is smuggling a baseball by bedtime. I rarely do treats, maybe once a month and it’s either meal worms or black oil sunflower. I think I will just worm everyone with ivermectin since that would also take care of mites IF she has them. None of them have ever been wormed because I didn’t see any sign or feel the need to do it for no reason. She may just be a ratty chicken lol. The lady I got her from rescued her from a production environment so she was never properly cared for. I think I also need to keep the saddle on for a bit cause she is bare backed and the last thing I need is puncture holes in her.

 

[ReluctantChickenOwner]

I'd either have a fecal float and see if she's got worms or just deworm her.

Feed her a higher protein feed like an All Flock Feed or even Chick Starter. Yes! You can feed either one of these feeds to everyone if you wish, just provide oyster shell free choice. Aim for 18-20% protein feed and limit treats.
When she does indeed go through a molt, then she will replace all those broken feathers.

Here's a tip. There's nothing wrong with giving a "feather fixer" formula. It's marketing genius actually. Companies are very savvy with wording/labels to keep their customers from switching feeds during certain times of the year like molting. All a feather fixer formula is, is a "higher" protein layer feed. Where most typical layer feeds are 16-17% protein, feather fixer is usually 18%.
Again, there's nothing wrong with the feed, it's still a balanced poultry feed and if fresh, nothing wrong with feeding it at all.

It's good you aren't seeing bugs on her. If she did have depluming mites, she would be miserable and picking/plucking at herself constantly, digging at the base of her feathers and plucking them out. Wing feathers would look stripped and bare due to the attempt of the hen trying to get rid of the mites which live under the skin along the feather shaft.

Your statement above about the stripped wing feathers and protein % caught my attention. I have a 1yo Novogen that has a "stripped" wing look. I have 9 hens and she is the only one with this wing issue. However, I was more concerned with her very picked at vent area. see picture.

I've looked but didn't see any lice or mites, but I'm new at this and may have missed them. I did spray all hens with Elector PSP and inside coop. I have a dirt run, so not sure how to deal with that.

Specifically just after the hens retire to the coop, I've noticed another hen picking at this poor girls bottom area, but I've also seen her pick at it herself. I've sprayed her with PetSilver wound spray. Also the area seems sort of plump, for a lack of better words. Maybe swollen, but not hard.

She is such a sad thing (also has a small chip at front of beak), I sprayed her with the PetSilver again tonight and brought her inside out of heat to relax and start healing.

What else should I be doing? Change feed? I have them on SandP layer pellets, and maybe that lower protein 16% is an issue too?

I'm not an avid "sit" out in the yard and watch my birds kinda gal, as I got them for their eggs, BUT, I do want to take care of them the best I can and keep them healthy.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

Laura

 

[coach723]

@ReluctantChickenOwner , do you know when this hen last laid?
A swollen abdomen could mean a reproductive problem, infection, cancer, etc. If it feels like fluid, it may be ascites, which is fluid from a leaking liver, which can accompany many other health issues. Or she could be fat, and that is fat deposited in the abdomen, I can't tell without being able to feel it. A Novogen is a sex link breed, which are bred to be able to tell them apart at hatch (male/female) and to lay lots of eggs. Those breeds have a higher incidence of reproductive problems over all (though some do manage to live long lives) due to their very active reproductive systems. It's most common after the age of two, but not unheard of in a younger bird. If you think it's fat, then look at what you are feeding. Lots of treats, and lots of carbs (scratch) can contribute to fat birds, but some of them seem to also be genetically prone to it. Try to keep all extras to less than 10% of their total diet, it's very easy to over do as they are so small.
The most common cause of feather picking is over crowding. No matter what the articles say, that is decided by the birds themselves. A very dominant bird (or a roo) can make a coop or run too small, despite it being the "recommended" size. When the picking is happening on the roosts, then you may need more roost space, or a reconfiguration to give them more room. Some birds like to snuggle, some birds demand space. The behavior of the birds is the only indication that really matters. Once there is bare skin, and especially if it's red or has tiny feather shafts showing, it can draw more attention.

 

[ReluctantChickenOwner]

Thanks for all the great info.

Looking her over this morning, her bum seemed less red and just pinkish. After putting her out this morning, and checking on her later, she was in a laying hutch. She clucked at me like a broody would and puffed her feathers (I have a New Jersey Giant that is always broody ). It is way too hot for that, so I put her in my broody cage in the run with water and food.

I don't think I give too many treats, occasionally remnants of vegetable garden trimmings. Sometimes left over scrabbled eggs. I feed scratch and peck layer pellets.

She has always looked sort of a runt and scruffy, but seemed healthy until the last few months.

I'm going to spray her again tonight and bring her back in out of heat. Not sure what else to do.

 

[ReluctantChickenOwner]

@coach723 in addition to my response above, I didn't answer your question about if I knew when she laid; I believe it's been at least a week since I've got account of 9 eggs (I have 9 hens). But it's hard to tell as all the Novogens lay identical eggs. But as I mention, she does seem broody the last few days.

Also yesterday I observed one Novogen eating a feather from the run ground floor. That's a sign of protein deficiency right? Should I switch to a higher protein layer feed? I would want one without soy and corn. Any suggestions?

Thanks again.