Single hen

[frankiesfreerange]

We are new to chickens having had our four since July last year when they arrived as week old chicks. everything that is happening to them is a new experience for us and thus we have many "first timer" questions

 

Two of our hens had very messy behinds, so today we decided to take a closer look and give them both a clean. The feathers were of course very matted, not a real problem there and all sorted very easily, however on inspection there appears to be white growths of some sort, the size of a small pea and spherical in shpae around each of the hens vents. we tried removing them but they appeared to b attached to the skins and thus didnt want to distress the birds needlessly. We wondered if tit was a calcium build up from their poo, but............

 

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Is it something we need to worry about and should we attend to it?

Is there somehting we nned to give them to avoid it in the future?

[Egluntyne]

Could it be a build up of the white part of the poo ( the urates) which have clumped on the feathers.

 

Did you take a photo?

[Chicken Licken]

Or lice - they build up the eggs in nasty grey/ white 'golf balls' at the base of the stems - there is a sticky on it with some pics here somewhere.

[Egluntyne]

 

Here is a good picture of lice eggs at the base of the feathers. Is this what you meant?

 

If so they need treating by dusting with Barrier Lice Powder or Diatomaceous Earth if you like a more natural approach. It will need repeating regularly though as it won't kill the unhatched eggs.

 

There is also Johnson's Anti Mite Spray, which is effective against Lice as well as mites. There is an egg withdrawal period as it is * Not Licensed for use on Poultry in UK.

 

Also an Ivermectin product such as Xeno 200 is effective. Again, there is an egg withdrawal period as it is * Not Licensed for use on Poultry in UK.