How Quickly Does Albendazole Work?

[mammapajama]

Hi! I'm befuddled by my hen's feather breakage. Brought her to the vet this weekend but he didn't seem to know any more than I do. He gave her a shot for mites, which means 60 days of figuring out whose egg is whose, and 14 days of antibiotic. :<

 

I'm pretty sure she doesn't have mites, so my questions are:

 

if pecking or molting, would either be accompanied by significant comb shrinkage and general listlessness (she has perked up since her trip to the vet I have to admit but she still looks like hell)? Does either cause the feather shaft dandruff that is all over her?

 

Also, does molting look like broken feathers? Hers have the shaft still in the skin

 

Does anyone know of roosters pecking? I caught him pulling a feather yesterday but they are all hanging off of her so it may have been irresitible.

 

Thanks!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Sounds more like pecking than moulting to me but you do get that "dandruff" when they moult. Feathers come out completely when moulting so there should be no broken shafts. I think moulting can make them look under the weather too.

 

Confusing . Perhaps it's a bit of both?