4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[shoura]

One of my chooks has had a patch of bare skin on either side of her neck for a couple of weeks, it looks rahter red and sore in parts but I haven't seen any creepy-crawlies there. Today I thought she seemed a bit listless so tried to have a good look at her nether regions: The feathers under her vent are all mucky and horrid and there is a bare red area of skin further forward which looks dry and sore like her neck . I'm not certain there were any lice or mites though. She looked fine under her wings.

Would you see mites on a hen during the day? I thought they only came out from the woodwork at night and bit the hens during the night. If there were mites around would the chooks still be roosting in the coop at night? The door to the coop is always open and they put themselves to bed quite happily.

I'm not sure what to do ---will get Poultry Shield and more Diatom tomorrow and give the coop a good going over. Should I also treat the chooks with Johnson's spray just in case? I haven't inspected them all yet, the others seem their usual perky selves...

[quickcluck]

Hi there,

 

I've never had to deal with lice thankfully, but I would dust them with some powder if in any doubt. You can use the johnson spray, but I'm not sure if there is an egg withdrawal period.

 

As for the sore skin, I find teatree and lavender cream from the pet shop is really helpful.

 

I good clean of the house over the weekend will help.

 

If she is listless, have you wormed them recently????

 

Good luck.

[shoura]

OK so today I will attempt to wash Lady Jane's dirty knickers.....Is this somehting I can ahieve on my own or should I try and get a friend to help ??? Seriously though, what is the best way to do it so as to minimise stress to all concerned?? I was thinking of doing it in the kitchen sink---should I wear rubber gloves? Is it best to do it with Poultry shield or baby shampoo or both? Do you actually just soak them or do you rub them as you would when washing a dog??

How much water do you use: up to her tummy? up to her neck ???

Heeeeeeeeeeeeelp!!!!

PS: Yes they were wormed (with Flubenvet) about 4 weeks ago.

[Egluntyne]

Don't use Poultry Shield! It is intended for use on housing and equipment, and not on the hens.

 

Baby shampoo or a few drops of Ecover washing up luquid will do the job nicely.

 

No need to use gloves, but I guess most of us do. Yes, just wash as if you were washing the dog. Don't be timid.

 

Dry her thoroughly afterwards though.

[shoura]

thanks! just as well I asked!!

So I'm going to put her in warm water plus a bit of Ecover WUL up to about her tummy I guess or maybe a bit more, soak her well allover and give her a general wash---or maybe just her tummy, don't want to push my luck

Then I suppose I've got to rinse her in plain water----so she'll have to run around the kitchen, presumably in high dudgeon, while I refill the sink !! Then give her a blow dry wiht my hair dryer, then spray with Johnson's anti-mite spray, rub some tea-tree cream onto the sore skin---et voila!!! Hopefully a happier chicken!

And i need to clean out and spray the coop obviously...

[shoura]

right well i've just given Lady Jane a bath and am trying to get her dry----then I'll try and get myself and the kitchen floor dry!!! Actually it was much easier than I thought and she has enjoyed the blow-dry (takes ages doesn't it??)

The bad news is that I can see lots of eggs clogging up the bases of the feathers under her vent , and although I've managed to get the poo washed out these eggs are very hard to remove---I was worried I would eventually pull feathers out if I persisted. Does this mean she's got Northern Fowl Mites or do ordinary lice produce these masses of greyish eggs too??

When she's dry (just giving her a break and some meal-worms!) I will spray her with Johnson's anti mite and put Tea tree cream on.

Should that be enough? If I do her again next saturday will that be OK re the remaining eggs or should I do her again sooner? Can I just spray her again next time or will I have to bath her again?

Sorry about all the questions!!