[BML]

I have three chickens about three years old. Only one egg is being laid a day and I wonder if the fact that two of the chickens have dirty vents has anything to do with it.They live in a hen house with a large run covered with polothene sheet but are let out every day and I have no idea why only one of the chickens has dirty vents.Is there any action I can take such as washing the dirty vents?

[macgro7]

They could have internal parasites - often this causes dirty bums and less eggs.
You need to worm them - I have noticed even giving them organic  layers pellets with herbal wormer clears them out and they start laying eggs properly again.

[chrismahon]

Yes you have to wash the dirty vents because it leads to skin damage that the fires attack. My guess is that they need worming properly, so Flubenvet which is easiest bought in the layers pellets. Very important they don't eat anything else in the 7 day programme, so no free ranging and no treats.

[twizzel]

Some of my hens have dirty vents too, and they had 2 weeks of flubenvet pellets    would cocci affect older hens ?

[BML]

Many thanks for all the information and advice other than, "see a vet" which is simply not economically viable. If they do not recover after treatment then they have to go.

[Richmond]

Define "dirty". Wet or dried on? How often do you handle the birds - could this be residue from a temporary dietary upset a little while back (therefore dried) or an ongoing issue (wet). Are there lice present? What colour is the residue? In the absence of a cockerel it's unlikely to be gleet. White discharge could be poor kidney function or a bacterial infection. Dark discharge could be a heavy worm burden. Do you think the hens are either underweight or overweight? How are the hens kept? Free range or in a pen? Have they been on that particular area of ground for more than 6 months?  Also what sort of birds are they - pure breeds, hybrids, farmyard crossbreeds? A modern hybrid will be pretty much spent after 3 years. They will lay but increasingly become prone to reproductive issues such as peritonitis.

[BML]

 Well, that was a dismal even if it was an accurate reply. I thought chickens lived up to around 12 years. I'm certainly not inclined to killing them at three years just to guarantee regular laying.  By the way does anyone know why answers to questions on this forum don’t get relayed as they occur like most other forums?
 

[Richmond]

Sorry you found it dismal. Some chickens can live to 12 years (depending on breed) but most don't last that long, and will certainly not lay for that length of time.

Due to demand for constant egg laying in a bird, the modern hybrid has been engineered to produce as many eggs as possible, usually in the first few years of life. After that they may well live on but egg production is vastly reduced. The stress on the reproductive system from constantly producing eggs without a natural seasonal break often means the bird's life is shortened as a result.

[cans]

The orignonal query was about diry vents.
Are you able to post a picture or two so that the more experienced poultry keepers can give further input?

[BML]

 I spent a long time in a dentist’s chair yesterday while he attempted to remove a broken tooth. The conclusion being that he had to leave the stubborn root in place saying that we would discuss the next step on Monday, hospital or him which led to a sleepless night. I’m tired and hope what I would like to explain below isn’t nonsense. 
 So, back to the original matter in hand, chickens with dirty vents. I hope I'm correct in saying that the consensus is that my chickens have some sort of parasite most likely worms. Somehow or other I came across “Verm X herbal wormer” and, “Verm-X Pellets for all Poultry” which I assume is placed in the chicken feed hopper. I then discovered a compostable worm count kit for about £10.00. I would very much appreciate any comments before I proceed.

[lord flynn]

Verm X isnt a wormer-if they've not been wormed since you got them, get some flubenvet -Marriages do a premix in pellets available from farm and pet place online. Worm counts are best done by those trained to do it (I am a chicken parasitologist fwiw).


Best to get new hens yearly to keep a good supply of egg going forward-doesnt mean you have to get rid of your old ones but egg quality as well as quantity drops as they get older.


I've had Scots Greys make it to about 8-9, Marsh Daisies until 12-hybrids generally don't get any where near that.

[chrismahon]

I think your cheapest option is to worm them with Marriages containing Flubenvet, because a worm count may simply tell you they need worming (and Verm-X doesn't work). If you have hybrids the messy bum may be broken egg at that age, but without photos I don't know? The oldest hybrid we ever had was 2 years- the oldest Pedigree we have is 11. Pedigrees are far more expensive but lay more eggs but over a much longer period, so you won't see a short-term feed to egg profit. If you want profit you go 'commercial' and replace the hybrid lot before the first moult, so 18 months.


We just let them live as long and as happy as we are able.

[BML]

Someone suggested they might have Red Mites. Is there a specific spray or could I spray their Hen House with a medium strong Bleach?

[twizzel]

Poultry Shield is relatively good for redmite but you have to get it into every crack in the house. And if it's got a felt roof, take the felt off and spray that too. Then respray every few days, as the reproductive cycle of redmite is very short. And failing that, burn the house down... and build a new one (that's what I had to do  ) Redmite shouldn't give them dirty vents though, they would be anaemic and reluctant to go into the house (the redmite live in the house, feed off the chicken at night, and then retreat back to their hiding places in the house)

[Perris]

Someone suggested they might have Red Mites. Is there a specific spray or could I spray their Hen House with a medium strong Bleach?

If it is red mites, they'll be in the coop nooks and crannies, not on the birds (except when they're roosting in the coop). Old handbooks recommend carbolic soap, which you can still get online (the real stuff, not stuff that just smells like carbolic). I think it deters lots of insects.