[HairyBear]

I have had my 4 hens for just over 3 weeks - 1 goldline and 3 RIRs.  I was told when I bought them that they were all laying or POL, although I'm only getting about 5 eggs a week in total.

I found what either looked like lice or a mite on the goldline and have twice scrubbed ou the hen house with Jeyes and Poultry disinfectant, and scatter Daitom into corners of house, nooks and crannies, and into their bedding.  I also rubbed the powder onto the hens, and followed this up a week later.

Yesterday and today I noticed that the goldline is passing what looks like water.  Referred back to the poo cheat sheet posted by Aunt Sally and it looked similar to the watery poo (although without the lumps in it).  The description on the page says that either the hen is too hot (which I doubt given our dreadful summer) or that it isn't eating enough.

The hens always have food and drink in their run - a mixture of Allen & Page layers' pellets, mixed corn, and mixed grit.  The food is in a container easily accessible under the hen house so is dry and clean.  They get fresh water every day.

On top of this I give them daily treats such as veg scraps, a little spaghetti, cooked rice.

Every time I go to the run, they come rushing over and gobble up anything I give them as if they're ravenous, but they just don't seem to be eating much of their pellets and corn.

Where am I going wrong? And what do you think this could be?

Should I try layers' mash?

[HairyBear]

Sorry, really worried it might be something more serious. Could the watery poo be caused by mites/lice and am I doing the right thing to treat that as well.

Only had them for 3 weeks and feel like I'm somehow not looking after them properly despite my best efforts 

[mjd]

I wouldn't worry too much for now this will probably go as suddenly as it arrived, I have had this a few times before and it always seems to have happened at a time of stress, such as new arrivals. Just keep an eye on them and avoid anything which may cause stress, lice wouldn't help the situation.

[HairyBear]

Thanks mjd.  I know it sounds soppy, but I've been really worried.  I'm not convinced I'm treating them for lice properly either.  I read in a book that I should pluck out any feathers that look like they have eggs. Does this sound right to you? Sounds barbaric.

[joyfull]

HairyBear have a look at this link for treatment of external parasites:-

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=5250.0

My vet prescribed the Frontline spray to treat mine with (as a precaution) although most on here use the drops.
Joyfullxx

[IMOmimey]

please remember that layers pellets are a complete balanced feed, specially designed to fulfill nutritional requirement of chooks, and that, as with us all, we can only eat so much in a day!..

 Layers pellets (or mash) is like the main "meat n 2 veg" of the diet, corn and scraps are like choc,sweets, desert. Chooks, like children, would choose to fill up on sweeties rather than eat their dinner, and I think with you generously feeding corn and extras, they might not be getting the balanced nutrition they need. They need mostly layers pellets, can suppliment with an evening scatter of mixed corn late afternoon, early evening (max of small handful per bird), extra scraps only once or twice a week.

Just have pellets available all the time, with fresh water, (and I have a small grit hopper of mixed gri tavailable too). The other food is a treat.