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Barnyard Buddies:  help with my new chickens  |
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faithmarie
True Blue Farmgirl
143 Posts
faith
wappingers falls
new york
USA
143 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 25 2009 : 5:37:17 PM
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We were given about 40 chickens by a family who moved to another state and most of the look healthy, but there are some who have a lot of missing feathers around their necks and back side. The are bald! Is this ok or do they have some kind of disease? I think they kind of have loose stools too. Not sure if the others are infected or these are just old chickens? And insight would be great! Thank you al!
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven
Farmgirl sister # 34 |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Aug 25 2009 : 7:48:45 PM
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The "balding spots " could be that they are molting, also if they have a rooster in with them, breeding will cause feathers to be pulled out. As far as loose stools, with birds it is normal to have soft/loose stools, just not runny/liquid.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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faithmarie
True Blue Farmgirl
143 Posts
faith
wappingers falls
new york
USA
143 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 01:03:10 AM
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Thanks Teresa,
We thought about molting except these chickens look almost ready to go in the oven!
Around the neck, all the way around.. is bald. and around the butt. there are 2 roosters in the group but you can see normal ware and tare on the hens.... but these look like weird. i was wondering if there is a disease that chickens get that causes this or it is just an extra creepy molting.
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven
Farmgirl sister # 34 |
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peapicker
True Blue Farmgirl
716 Posts
texas
USA
716 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 01:13:10 AM
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We have had chickens look like that before and after a few weeks they go back to normal. I always thought it was molting too. Some of them would look a lot more bald than others. Out of the forty chickens , how many really look bald?
Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.
Robert Brault |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 03:25:24 AM
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Let's hope it's from an over zealous rooster
Some of my hens look the same:
Bald heads or nearly bald and missing feathers on the hind end
A roster grabs the head or neck feathers for balance. It looks kind of painful and funny at the same time. Sometimes folks trim their rooster's spurs if the hens get too badly beat up. Not sure what to use for such a procedure as the spurs are really tough.
I have a few silkie hens who look like this now too. Pretty sad for a bird that usually sports a topknot.
Feathers ought to grow back in w/ the next molt. If you can see pin feathers (shafts w/ tiny feathers sticking out) then this means the feathers will grow back given some time.
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faithmarie
True Blue Farmgirl
143 Posts
faith
wappingers falls
new york
USA
143 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 04:46:49 AM
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Hey Good morning!,
We just got them yesterday....I would say about 6 look really bad. We have separated them....lota good that'll do they have been altogether already. And the poop was real watery from those chickens... maybe from the move? Well they are still alive today. There are chickens with feathers missing that look like the roosters like them better.... but these other ones look like a monster movie chickens.
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven
Farmgirl sister # 34 |
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faithmarie
True Blue Farmgirl
143 Posts
faith
wappingers falls
new york
USA
143 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 04:48:20 AM
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oh I forgot one has some scaling thing on its chest where there are no feathers.
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven
Farmgirl sister # 34 |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 05:25:00 AM
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HOw bald? I mean, smooth bald? they could be Turkins. Which are naked neck chickens. Ugly as butt, but super awesome layers and good for the oven too! If there are pin feather spots, then it should be molting. Picking feathers out around the butt is normal. Excessive is not. But a lot of birds will pick feathers out around the behind.
Watery poop could be from stress. Go to a farm supply and get some vitamin electrolytes to put in their water. It should be about a heavy 1/4 teaspoon per gallon.
Keep us up to date.
Dawn #279
MJ's Heirloom Mavens-QMD
http://harvestthyme.blogspot.com
http://maknfaces.blogspot.com
~Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. --Will Rogers~ |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 06:01:04 AM
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I have one poor hen that all the roosters would be all over. I never saw them on any other hens. She would come around and they'd line up. It was awful. So now I just have the 2 roos out and she's alot better. She never lost feathers, though. None of mine are. I have 6 laying hens and they all look good so far. And still laying, too.
Do the hens in question have bright red combs? All mine that are laying do. Some old timer told me that once. If the combs are bright red they are still laying, if not they are molting. And my hens, in all the years I've had hens, never got the ugly molting look. Just a few would. Now a few of my friends that have them always had scroungy looking hens at the molting stage. One of them never let hers free range but the other did. Mine are all free range. Are yours?
If they are so old I would just put them in the freezer soon. They'd be good stewing hens.
Ugly as butt! They sure are. I never could have any because they are so ugly! But you may have some.
Apple cider vinegar in the water is also good to control worms. And I think it also just keeps the girls healthy. I just ACV'd all the water troughs yesterday. Goats, cows and chickens. I do that about once a month.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 06:35:39 AM
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Kris, I never heard of doing the ACV before. How often do you do that?
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 06:39:36 AM
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Gena, I try to do it at least once a month when I really clean out all the water troughs. I get the gallon size jugs. I used almost the whole jug yesterday.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 09:49:19 AM
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Faith, scaling on the chest, I would bet they are really full of lice then. Get wood ash,( non treated wood only), and put it in a pile where your chickens can get to it, they will dust bath in it, and the ash will kill the lice, (they suffucate). A bad infestation of lice will cause feather loss, ( they will pluck them selves and each other) trying to get rid of the intense itch caused by the lice, the stress will cause runny stools, and if they are lice infested due to lack of proper care, they probally have worms also
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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yasmine
True Blue Farmgirl
173 Posts
yasmine
wappingers falls
ny
USA
173 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 3:09:58 PM
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Mamoo, I forgot if the chickens you have that are loosing feathers have faded combs then do you remember the guy at meadow-brook farms saying just like some of these farm girls said that the faded conb means they're molting, and I believe that's what it is.... (in my opinion) I'm hoping that it is not lice like one of the famr girls on here said. So I don't know, you should consider looking up wood ash, and put some Apple Cider Vinegar in their water. Who knows, maybe it'll work. It wouldn't hurt to try, and you can I guess try using my dusting powder sometime. I will talk to you soon, post me back soon!
love, -JUSTICE |
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faithmarie
True Blue Farmgirl
143 Posts
faith
wappingers falls
new york
USA
143 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2009 : 09:40:21 AM
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Well the chickens are still alive! And only the chickens that were loosong feathers are the originals. None of the others have lost there feathers or look like them. but I will get some wood ash or some powder. Just in case. And i am going to do the ACV when I get home. Thank you everybody. And Justice .... I love you!
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven
Farmgirl sister # 34 |
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Old Spirit
True Blue Farmgirl
1498 Posts
Rae
MN
1498 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2009 : 1:24:14 PM
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Kris how much of the ACV per gallon kind of thing, or just guess???
I also have a few that looked like they were in fights but seem to lay fine and are doing ok.
Rae
Farm Girl #647
...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles:...
Isaiah 40:31
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2009 : 3:00:01 PM
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I just kind of pour it in the water as I'm filling the troughs up. The other day I filled up 3 5-gallon buckets, a big cow water trough, a few chicken waterers, a dog bowl and 2 goat buckets. I had a gallon of ACV and when I was done I had about a pint left in the jug. I have heard to just add a 1/4-1/2 cup per gallon. I'd start out with a little more the first time. Then I do it at least once a month.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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homsteddinmom
True Blue Farmgirl
441 Posts
Brandee
bullard
tx
USA
441 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2009 : 08:01:00 AM
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They may be wormy, get some Wazine and put in the water. Just make sure that that water is all they get to drink so you know they got it! Hope they get beter!
Homesteading Mom in East Texas. Raising chickens, Rabbits and goats here on my farm! |
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Barnyard Buddies: help with my new chickens |
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help with my new chickens
