Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[lillybettybabs]

I have had a problem with one of my girls loosing feathers and not growing them back(going on for about 3mnths), I have treated all the flock with Spot On, red mite powder, louse powder but still no feateher growth. I have notice that the other chickens are

starting to loose theirs, I have noticed that ther has been the odd feather in the cube.

Do i have a feather eater?

[The Dogmother]

That would be my first suspicion, have no noticed any of the others having a pop, or does one hen have suspiciously pristine feathers?

 

Check them over for lice and mites... see my sticky at the top of the Clinic section... first and treat if necessary. Otherwise, look out for a feather puller and spray or bumper bit accordingly. There's a slight chance that it could be depluming mites, but TBH, the spot on ought to have treated that.

 

Hey, I just noticed that you're in Banbury too

[squidsin]

My white bantam Popcorn seems to be moulting a lot too. The others aren't pulling out her feathers - when she flaps about, she just seems to shed a few feathers. I noticed her and Nugget were grooming a lot, so I red mite powdered (and wormed) the whole lot of them, and they're not grooming so much now but Popcorn is still moulting. She's not got bald patches or anything - could it be mites or fleas then?

[The Dogmother]

Best to examine them and see - you'll need to treat them with something other than just powder though if they are infested.

[squidsin]

Will check them over tonight. What would you recommend for fleas or mites and where can I get them?

[The Dogmother]

Have read of this thread