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Kakariki, Care, Breeding, Ecology, and Conservation :: View topic - Hens becoming bald.
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Hens becoming bald.

 
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Tontana
Snr Member
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Joined: Nov 13, 2007
Posts: 77

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:27 am    Post subject: Hens becoming bald.

Hello, first of all, I'm very new at this site and I've tried to find any topics about this issue, but I still feel that I need to ask this.

My one and a half year old hen has now laid six eggs and is brooding. This is her first clutch and the first time I breed with kaks.
She was looking good her first week, but now, she has lost a large amount of feathers on her head, mostly in the neck area and around her ears and is looking a bit scruffy in general. The mate is looking good, no feather loss except on the red patches behind his eyes, though he has always been a bit short of feathers there.

I try the best I can to give them a balanced diet - mango, pear, salad, boiled carrots, hazelnuts, tomatoes, apples, broccoli, berries, nectarine, occasionally egg yolks, parsley, lemon balm and wheat germs. And a seed mix. This is what I give them at the time being...is something missing? Please tell me so if there is :)

Anyhow, as I observed her today, I notices that she's scratching her head -frequently. Could it be mites? I read somewhere in the forum that a breeders birds looked a bit scruffy when they were breeding...
So..could it be because she is brooding? Is something missing in the diet? Or might it be mites? Or something else?

When I first discovered this forum I realized how much I still have to learn about kaks and of breeding. I really want the best for my birds so please, I appreciate all the help I can get :)
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Peter
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Joined: Oct 15, 2004
Posts: 599

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:11 am    Post subject:

Hello Tontana and w3c to this site.

Up to now I came across 2 causes of baldness:
1)feathermites
2)a fungus

Feathermites are easy to treat with Ivermectine dropplets.

A fungus disorder is treatable with a anti-fungus shampoo. I have used a shampoo that contains ketoconazole. This active component is verry effective against all kinds of fungus and is used for all kind of animals. For humans it is used against somekind of dandruff. Do a little in their daily bath.

Baldness usely starts at the head. This is a difficult place to reach during preening. Since Kakariki are famous to dig and scratch most of the time, many uncleanness is left on their feet. When they scratch themselfs, this uncleanness has the ability to infest the bird.

A daily bath is essential to reduse these kinds of inconveniences.
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naughtyniike
Snr Member
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Joined: Sep 22, 2007
Posts: 77

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 1:04 pm    Post subject:

w3c i worried about this with my hens.......they can go very shabby and stressed looking ,your not doing anything wrong.but i often spray with a mite spray just to put my mind at rest Wink
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Steptoe
Site Admin
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Joined: Oct 06, 2004
Posts: 4550

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:57 pm    Post subject:

Do as peter says...This is basically std proceedure for all experanced breeders....mite sprays are a waste of time...
Hens with good diet, calcuim and protein (espec coming up to breeding and during) is very important.
Nestng boxes should be dismantled and cleaned and sterised after each batch...We clean..water blast, then burn with a big LPG torch
A hen can knock a batch out every 8 weeks for near on 10 months and still look as if she has never lais ecept for a bald patch on the breast from rubbing on the eggs.

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Tontana
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Joined: Nov 13, 2007
Posts: 77

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 6:54 am    Post subject:

Ok, thanks alot all for your help I really appreciate it! :D
I'll do what you said Peter, will call my vet tomorrow concerning the Ivermectine.

Quote:

Baldness usely starts at the head. This is a difficult place to reach during preening. Since Kakariki are famous to dig and scratch most of the time, many uncleanness is left on their feet. When they scratch themselfs, this uncleanness has the ability to infest the bird.


Never thought of that! Sure makes sense though.

I have a question concerning diet. I am aware that they need some extra intake of protein but I have no idea of how often I should give it to them :/
I'm giving her some egg yolk once a week, although I have no idea if that's too seldom - kinda have a feeling it is.
Any advice on how often I should give her egg yolks?
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Steptoe
Site Admin
Site Admin


Joined: Oct 06, 2004
Posts: 4550

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:43 am    Post subject:

There is a thread on "what do u feed your kakariki"
We stopped feeding artifical supliments etc some yrs back...now just feed what they would find in the wild
Note unlike most other parrots kakariki spend a lot of time digging rotton branches and dirt...for insects and grubs...these are very hi in protein compared to other sources.
Another consideration is in capitivity worms mites are also artifically hi, it is important that avairies are dry to prevent worms etc
We have found vinigar soln is also very good for prevention
There is a word search block to the left and button above for more info

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