DianeB Posted November 28, 2018 Share Posted November 28, 2018 Hi there, I've got three hens in an Eglu. One of them is losing all her breast feathers. On closer inspection, the skin is red but not broken, and the feathers look as if they are just disintegrating (being eaten by something?). No sign of feathers in the nest box or run. She's the lowest in the pecking order, but this doesn't look like aggression from another hen - top hen usually pushes her out of the way at feeding time, but no more than that. She's not self-plucking because she's broody - I know what she looks like when she's broody. Otherwise she seems happy - jumps out of the run in the morning, laying most days, runs to me when I bring corn. I'm thinking some sort of lice/mite but I can't see anything on her or in the run, or on the other hens, although to be honest I don't really know what I'm looking for. Since the weather has turned wet she's not digging her usual dust bath in the ground, so thinking about setting up an under-cover dust bath with diatomaceous earth etc. Any other suggestions? What makes the feathers just fade away like that? [just seen the option to add a photo - will try and get one!]. Any suggestions PLEASE!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 Hmmm, two possible causes spring to mind: she has mites or lice and is pulling out her own feathers to ease the itching; check them all very carefully and treat accordingly with a spot-on as per below she has depluming mites, which could spread to the others; are they all treated with an Ivermectin-based spot-on? Either way, I'd suggest that you get them all (if they aren't already) on a prevention spot-on programme - this is usually recommended off-licence by poultry-savvy vets, and contains Ivermectin. You dose quarterly on the skin at the back of the neck, just as you do with cats and dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
