Why chickens go bald: causes and what to do, treatment and prevention

Many novice poultry farmers are interested in the topical question: why do chickens go bald? The appearance of alopecia is accompanied by the fact that the feathers of birds become more rare and dull. Fluff loss is also observed. The cause of the problems is malnutrition, violation of the conditions for keeping birds, infection with parasites. To cope with baldness, you need to provide chickens with the right care.

Main causes of baldness in chickens

To choose a treatment for chickens, you need to determine the cause of baldness in a rooster or laying hen. If you do not immediately provide assistance, the birds will simply die. The main provoking factors for the development of alopecia include the following:

1. Eating disorders and vitamin deficiencies. It is important to make adjustments to the diet of chickens. The reason for the loss of feathers is often a deficiency of certain trace elements. It is also worth considering the compatibility of feeds that are used to feed birds.
2. Not enough food. Often, farmers neglect additional complementary foods. This is very true for the period of natural molting. At this time, chickens require more food and vitamins.
3. Lack of vitamin D. In the warm season, chickens should spend at least 12 hours outside. This affects their productivity. In winter, birds need additional lighting. To do this, you can use a conventional or ultraviolet lamp. It should have a red tint.
4. Infection with parasites. The cause of problems is often the attack of downy eaters. These insects resemble lice or fleas. They feed on the feathers and skin of chickens and predominantly affect the neck, head and back.When damaged areas appear, the risk of developing infections increases. To avoid such problems, you need to install a trough with ash and sand in the house.
5. Wrong conditions. To avoid problems, it is recommended to systematically clean the chicken coop, observe sanitary standards, ventilate the room often and change the litter.

Symptomatics

First, chickens go bald around the tail. Then feathers fall out on the back and head. Also laying hens lose feathers on their necks. Wings are the last to suffer. When alopecia develops, feathers lose their elasticity and become dull. Birds can also lose their down. Sometimes the problem takes on such proportions that the birds remain almost naked. Sometimes the process is accompanied by skin lesions. In this case, bruising appears around the damaged areas.

If you immediately identify the problem and get rid of it, the internal organs do not suffer. If the provoking factor is not eliminated, there is a risk of developing a lack of vitamins and infection. There is also a threat of disruption of the internal organs.

Vitamin deficiencies due to illness will result in decreased production or complete cessation of laying.

How not to confuse alopecia with natural shedding?

In the fall, birds experience seasonal feather loss. Moulting is considered a physiological process that is aimed at a gradual change in plumage. It differs from baldness in the uniform loss of feathers.

This process involves both the head and the tail. The old plumage is being replaced by a new one - more durable and shiny. At the same time, the he alth of the chickens remains normal. They retain a good appetite and full activity.

Molting can begin in birds even after the completion of oviposition. This process is also considered natural. In other situations, molting begins in autumn and lasts 2-3 months. Egg breeds shed faster than meat breeds.

Danger of disease

Alopecia in chickens is often accompanied by a violation of their well-being. It affects the general condition of birds. They look painful. In addition to baldness, there is a risk of slower bird growth and a significant decrease in egg production parameters.

What to do if chickens go bald?

When symptoms of alopecia appear, action must be taken immediately. To cure chickens, you must identify the causes of the problems.

Diet

One of the main reasons for the loss of feathers is an unbalanced diet, causing a deficiency of vitamins and minerals. To cope with the problem, chickens need to be given a lot of trace elements. In this case, it is allowed to use ready-made formulations that contain many valuable components. If chickens eat homemade food, they should buy vitamin products. Sometimes the cause of problems is an excess amount of vitamins and minerals.In such a situation, it is worth increasing the amount of protein components and cutting back on fats.

Vitamin supplements

When making your own mixtures and mixers for chickens, you should definitely add vitamins and minerals to them. They can be bought at a special veterinary pharmacy. With alopecia, it is recommended to add the following components to the feed of each chicken:

• 7 milligrams of manganese sulfate;
• 3 milligrams of sulfur;
• 1 milligram s alt;
• 4 milligrams of potassium iodide.

If feather loss is advanced and chickens are very bald, it is recommended to use vitamin B12.

Containment conditions

Chickens can go bald due to improper maintenance. The development of alopecia is associated with a lack of vitamin D, which birds receive during walks. Particularly susceptible to the problem are laying hens that are raised in cages.

Birds need to be walked every day. In cold weather, it is worth putting ultraviolet lamps in chicken coops. They need to be turned on for at least 6-7 hours a day. A normal lamp should burn for 10-12 hours.

Equally important is access to fresh air. To do this, it is recommended to install windows or organize ventilation holes. This will help prevent bad odors. In the chicken coop it is worth putting a container filled with ash and sand. This will allow the birds to clean their plumage of insects that often cause baldness.

How to treat alopecia

To cope with baldness of birds, you can use medications and homemade recipes.

Drug therapy

Alopecia in chickens can be treated with the following drugs:

• Desi-spray - this drug helps to heal ulcers in the affected areas;
• Gamavit - is an immunomodulator that is indicated for weakened chickens;
• Ganasupersvit is a vitamin complex;
• Chiktonik - is a vitamin that helps to saturate the body.

Folk methods

In addition to medicines, you can use folk recipes. At the same time, chickens should put crushed fallen feathers in food. They include a lot of cysteine, which provides plumage growth. Also, the horns and hooves of cattle will help replenish the supply of nutrients. It is recommended to use them in crushed form.

How to prevent problems in the future?

To avoid problems, you need to follow the rules of prevention:

• feed birds properly;
• keep the house clean;
• ensure chickens walk outside;
• use UV lamps;
• provide chickens with access to water;
• give calcium to birds - it can be obtained from chalk and gypsum.

Alopecia feathered can be associated with a variety of factors. To cure chickens, first of all, you need to establish the cause of the loss of feathers. After that, it is recommended to change the conditions for keeping birds and adjust their diet.

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