I need long time chicken keepers help.. pullet losing feathers, huge scabs, pus filled pores, not being picked on/no bugs?

[ChickenTenderKesha]

Hey all, here a little update as of today.
I have yet to compose an email for Guelph University. Although, I was able to pick up chlorhex from my Walmart pharmacy! For less than 10$ it’s a regular sized bottle too which I was for some reason expecting it to be way more with having to go through the pharmacy.

I have been soaking her in warm water to help loosen up some of the masses to try and work a few more off. Going to use this stuff after removing what I can and then spray her down with an antiseptic spray and let her dry before putting a saddle on her to help keep her warm from any draft coming in the little coop where she is staying.

I’ll be changing her newspaper bedding and putting in new sheets after getting her all cleaned up what I can today. Will be a rinse and repeat as many days as it takes to help this sweet little lady

Here are some of the chunks that came off her, for the most part they will slide right out (just like all the feathers that come out) after loosening them up with the warm water but one did end up peeling with her movements and ripped causing some redness and blood to form in the area.

This last photo had a good sized kernel come out as well but still has what reminds me of earwax stuck in the hole and is sometimes attached to her skin.

I’ll update more after what I’m able to get out after letting her rest and get some food and water into herself

 

[SmiYa0126]

How is she?

 

[ChickenTenderKesha]

How is she?

Thank you for checking in! She seems to be doing well! Still eating and drinking like normal, she’s even growing more feathers in a good amount of areas
Here are some photos from today and yesterday

She’s got a higher protein feed with some soy meal there at even higher protein levels to help with her feather growth hopefully

 

[Eggcessive]

Let us know how she does. Glad that she is a little better.

 

[ChickenTenderKesha]

Let us know how she does. Glad that she is a little better.

Thank you I will keep you guys updated as she progresses!

Here are some better photos of the new feather growth compared to when I first started working on her !
The first photo is from August 5th when posting, and the second is 2 days later.

I’ll have to do some update photos tonight when checking in on her after work

I’m still not 100% sure if it is Mareks or not. I’ve done some more reading and if it is Mareks then a blood sample won’t be able to tell a conclusive answer on if she has it or not.
For now, I’m keeping a close eye on her movements to make sure she’s not showing any neurological signs and to make sure everything is working normally internally. I’ll not know until she gets closer to laying (if she does make it that far), if that side of her is working but for now her bowels are moving and she’s got good weight on her still so if it was Mareks this whole time she would have no doubt lost some weight from not feeling well would she not? Or if she had tumours growing inside of her?

Have you ever dealt with delousing mites? I can’t recall if I’ve mentioned this on the thread or not but someone on the chicken vet corner Facebook group suggested that might be a cause since she is pulling some feathers of her own out and was preening a lot?

 

[SmiYa0126]

She is so beautiful, I love her coloring! You're doing a great job! Did you see in lice or mites on her when you were taking care of her?

 

[LaFleche]

Animal protein like scrambled eggs, minced meat or dairy products will help with feather growth. Add some millet, fine oatmeal and a bit of brewer's yeast too.

Oh, and I would remove the newspaper bedding as it can be toxic and cause even more irritation and issues. Old bedsheets, towels etc. will do fine, but without having used fabric softener.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Animal protein like scrambled eggs, minced meat or dairy products will help with feather growth. Add some millet, fine oatmeal and a bit of brewer's yeast too.

Oh, and I would remove the newspaper bedding as it can be toxic and cause even more irritation and issues. Old bedsheets, towels etc. will do fine, but without having used fabric softener.

I've used the wool balls in my dryer, haven't used fabric softener in a few years at least. Saved so much money.

 

[ChickenTenderKesha]

She is so beautiful, I love her coloring! You're doing a great job! Did you see in lice or mites on her when you were taking care of her?

Thank you! She’s the sweetest little pullet too so I’m hoping I’m able to heal her through this
No lice or visible mites, I’ve dealt with live many times on a few different flocks so I know the signs for them very well and she’s had none. Mites I’m not as known to as I haven’t had to deal with them before but I’ve learned depluming mites are microscopic and reside inside the feather follicles causing excessive itching and even feather plucking from the bird. They cause a fluid to be excreted and the mites feed on that actually from what I’ve read !

Animal protein like scrambled eggs, minced meat or dairy products will help with feather growth. Add some millet, fine oatmeal and a bit of brewer's yeast too.

Oh, and I would remove the newspaper bedding as it can be toxic and cause even more irritation and issues. Old bedsheets, towels etc. will do fine, but without having used fabric softener.

I’ve only just been able to gather enough eggs from my flock to be able to feed her scrambled eggs as well! I don’t trust the store eggs to be healthy enough and was unable to get eggs from friends during this time due to their own flocks not laying as well currently.

I’ll pick up some towels tomorrow to use for her (and future flock uses if she’s not sick sick) after I’m done work. Tomorrow morning, I’ll have the other caretaker remove the newspaper and add some towels for her bedding instead. Thank your for your knowledge! I appreciate your help

 

[ChickenTenderKesha]

I took these photos earlier tonight, she’s got towels for bedding and I put a stuffed teddy bear in the coop with her to snuggle with

I’m really happy with how the dead skin/chunks are flaking off on their own now. The antiseptic soak/spraying an antiseptic on her as well after she dried really helped her out especially since I was removing really bad problem feathers and got some of the really bad pieces out that could come out

I’m going to bath her again this weekend and try and remove some more pieces of dead skin/gunk build up. I’m not sure how her skin is going to be under the biggest section along her back, but if she’s got less feathers than a normal chicken after this then that’s okay as well she can wear a saddle to keep warm like my frizzles did which helped them keep warmer with their bare backs on the chillier days.

I’ll do more photos when I get her cleaned up again and let you all know how she’s doing