Chicken going bald

[frias]

I'm sure Verm X is just a herbal preventative. It won't get rid of worms if the chooks do have them. Flubenvet is the only one that really works.

Love the thought of having some grass to cut. since having chooks I've not had any grass!

[scorpius]

frias is right, verm-x is NOT a wormer, the only wormer prescribed for chickens is Flubenvet.

[Vixen218]

I'm sure that the verm x that I have says it is a wormer.
When I first got the girls, the lady (Paige's poultry) told me to buy the liquid verm x wormer that she supplied (she had a shop) and she uses it on all her flock...
When I ran out of the liquid I sent my father in law to the small pet shop that we buy the layers pellets from to buy some more womer and he suggested verm x pellets which is what he uses on his flock...
It is only supposed to be used for 3 days each month...
Am well confused now

[chris]

You need flubenvet to worm properly.

[RichmondHens]

With all due respect to Paige's Poultry they would naturally want to endorse the products they sell by telling customers they use it themselves. Also, herbal based products can be stocked by anyone, you need a licence to sell Flubenvet. While "herbal products" in certain concentrations can act as a parasite deterrent, they are not effective in curing a serious infestation. For peace of mind I would always use licensed and proven medication, ie Flubenvet.

With regard to your bald chicken the only real causes can be either moulting, mite and/or lice infestation, cockerel activity (not in your case if you don't have one) or feather pecking. Some hens will peck each other out of boredom in the hen house prior to being let out, which is more common as the days lengthen and they are awake much earlier.

[Vixen218]

Will go get some flubenvet tomorrow then... Most likely the waiting to be let out that is causing the baldness, as when I powdered the birds and gave the house a through cleaning I had a good look and couldn't see any signs of mites...
I'm sure she'll get her own back on the others soon enough lol

Thanks all for the help

[petal]

my husband is bald, perhaps he has mites.........

[scorpius]

Mines going bald but he got ivermectined the other day, so hes ok now

[RichmondHens]

Are you a night shifter Scorpius? Am intrigued by the timing of your posts!!

[scorpius]

Insomniac

[chris]

*bump*

Looks like I now have this problem. The top hen (who now looks to have two challengers as they'll have a go at her if she has a go at them, or another chook) has two egg-sized bare patches below her ears.

I'm guessing it's because the mornings are light, as RH says. I'm loathed to let them out any earlier (7-7.30) as they don't have make a racket when they're first let out! Torn now, I'll try some anti-peck spray, but last time the other hens just in effect licked it off the hen that was being pecked!

I am putting in an automatic door opener though - so might just let them out in their run, and then let them out into the garden a bit later.

Odd thing is, no feathers in the coop- but I can see them in my greenhouse - where they seem to have broken into and are enjoying rooting around in there.