Please help! Flaky, scaly, scabby skin in eldery moulting hen. A lot of feather cysts and pin feather sheaths staying on for months. (PICS)

[OwO]

Hi, I have made a few posts about this particular chicken already, but I thought I would make a new one because I feel like she might have a fungal skin infection?

The closest thing I've read about so far is Favus, but her comb and wattles seem unaffected. She is around 8 years old and has a build up of "crust" at the base of most of her feathers, which is most noticeable at the back of her neck. I am able to pick it off but she doesn't like me doing it and seems to find it itchy.

She has white crust on her ears and either side of her comb, but none actually on her comb. She doesn't seem to be able to clean herself very well atm.

Scabs/crust at base of head feathers

White crust on ear

Feather growing under the skin

Flaky skin and feather sheaths remaining for months

White crust next to her comb

 

[dennisma1]

Poor girl. I take it no bugs? Have you given her a bath? Mine usually seem to enjoy it and I use dog shampoo. I've never seen that, so sorry. The search function here is always a gold mine though.

 

[janiedoe]

I've read that depluming mites can cause flaky skin. How do the rest of your flock look?

 

[OwO]

Thanks for the replies both of you! I know they definitely have mites but not severe cases. I just occasionally find them crawling on my hands but I can't see any on the chickens themselves. Have tried all kinds of treatments and nothing seems to work, currently just using DE just in case it helps.

I looked at one of my other older chickens who is also around 8, and she has something similar except not as bad. Is this favus?? Here is a pic:

And here's a better look at the other chicken's feather shafts... notice they all have a crusty sheath thing near the skin:

Both of these chickens have shown symptoms of mycoplasma gallisepticum over the last few years, and I've noticed a lot of similar skin conditions on this forum also show the same. Is there a link between MG and favus? They also both have wrinkly/flabby faces which I've also noticed on a lot of these posts.

If this is favus does anyone know if Leucillin spray can help? I bought some on Amazon and it is supposed to be antibacterial and antifungal.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

In another thread your vet gave you drops for the ears, did those help?
Did the vet think it was ear canker or ?

If they have Mites and not lice, then get some Ivermectin Pour On and treat them with that. Pour On dose is 0.09ml per pound of weight applied to the base of the neck along the spine making contact with the skin, repeat in 10-14 days.

DE is not an effective treatment against an infestation of lice or mites. It would likely be wise to find a Permethrin based poultry dust or spray to treat your coop/housing as well to help eliminate any bugs that are hiding in the nooks/crannies, etc.

Your hens are older so they may have more trouble fighting whatever ails them so getting on top of all parasites, both external and internal can be helpful. If you have not dewormed them, then getting a fecal float to let you know if they need to be is a good idea, if that's not possible, then I'd deworm them.

Bubbles in the eyes can often indicated respiratory infection like Mycoplasma. An antibiotic can help relieve symptoms. Here in the US, Tylan/Tylosin is often used to treat symptoms of MG, but Tetracyclines and Tiamulin can be effective as well.

I understand that this and other problems seem to be an ongoing issue, looking at your past threads, and it must be frustrating.
For the flaking skin around the faces, you can apply a bit of anti-fungal cream if you wish - see if that helps. Hard to know if it's mites, fungus or some other condition that is affecting your hens.

Do see that they have areas where they can take dust baths, give them a nutritionally balanced poultry feed free choice and limit treats. Poultry vitamins in the water a couple of times a week may be beneficial as well.

 

[janiedoe]

Thanks for the replies both of you! I know they definitely have mites but not severe cases. I just occasionally find them crawling on my hands but I can't see any on the chickens themselves. Have tried all kinds of treatments and nothing seems to work, currently just using DE just in case it helps.

I looked at one of my other older chickens who is also around 8, and she has something similar except not as bad. Is this favus?? Here is a pic:

View attachment 3310840


And here's a better look at the other chicken's feather shafts... notice they all have a crusty sheath thing near the skin:

View attachment 3310841


Both of these chickens have shown symptoms of mycoplasma gallisepticum over the last few years, and I've noticed a lot of similar skin conditions on this forum also show the same. Is there a link between MG and favus? They also both have wrinkly/flabby faces which I've also noticed on a lot of these posts.

If this is favus does anyone know if Leucillin spray can help? I bought some on Amazon and it is supposed to be antibacterial and antifungal.

If you are seeing mites on your hand, I'd say it is severe. Otherwise, you wouldn't see any at all. I agree with @Wyorp Rock about treatment. Also, de is not only useless for mites and lice, it can worsen any respiratory problems that your flock may have. I hope everything works out. I know you care a great deal about your hens.

 

[OwO]

In another thread your vet gave you drops for the ears, did those help?
Did the vet think it was ear canker or ?

If they have Mites and not lice, then get some Ivermectin Pour On and treat them with that. Pour On dose is 0.09ml per pound of weight applied to the base of the neck along the spine making contact with the skin, repeat in 10-14 days.

DE is not an effective treatment against an infestation of lice or mites. It would likely be wise to find a Permethrin based poultry dust or spray to treat your coop/housing as well to help eliminate any bugs that are hiding in the nooks/crannies, etc.

Your hens are older so they may have more trouble fighting whatever ails them so getting on top of all parasites, both external and internal can be helpful. If you have not dewormed them, then getting a fecal float to let you know if they need to be is a good idea, if that's not possible, then I'd deworm them.

Bubbles in the eyes can often indicated respiratory infection like Mycoplasma. An antibiotic can help relieve symptoms. Here in the US, Tylan/Tylosin is often used to treat symptoms of MG, but Tetracyclines and Tiamulin can be effective as well.

I understand that this and other problems seem to be an ongoing issue, looking at your past threads, and it must be frustrating.
For the flaking skin around the faces, you can apply a bit of anti-fungal cream if you wish - see if that helps. Hard to know if it's mites, fungus or some other condition that is affecting your hens.

Do see that they have areas where they can take dust baths, give them a nutritionally balanced poultry feed free choice and limit treats. Poultry vitamins in the water a couple of times a week may be beneficial as well.

Thank you so much for this!!

She has finished her ear drops and they seem clear now, I was also cleaning them out at the same time and they would occasionally get crusty again. The vet was unsure exactly what it was but did agree that the ear was looking blocked up, so prescribed Isathal eyedrops. I am thinking maybe if it is favus that might be the cause of her ear infection if fungus is growing in the ear maybe? She is still holding her neck bent and is sometimes shaking her head too. Luckily she is eating/drinking plenty still, but is just very slow.

They had ivermectin a couple months ago and I sprayed their house, completely cleaned it out, and transferred them to a new house for a few weeks, all to no avail I'll have to check if the spray and powder I have is permethrin, but I don't remember seeing the name anywhere, so if not I will buy some of that. Other things I've tried are "predator mites" Androlis, garlic spray, putting vaseline around the perches to cause mites to stick... I really hate those little things. Is there a delay period between using Ivermectin, since I've already used it a couple months ago?

This chicken has been taking antibiotics prescribed by the vet which will hopefully help with MG, but it's amoxicillin which I don't believe I've read as being effective against MG? I wish there was something over the counter I could get here.

I do often see them dust bathing in their run, and I give them vitamins in their water once a month normally, but I will start doing this more frequently now. Currently feeding 50/50 layer and grower pellets since only half of them are laying (age, time of year, moulting, etc). As you said, they are quite old, so I do expect illnesses to be coming along more, I just hope I can treat this for them. Thank you again

 

[OwO]

If you are seeing mites on your hand, I'd say it is severe. Otherwise, you wouldn't see any at all. I agree with @Wyorp Rock about treatment. Also, de is not only useless for mites and lice, it can worsen any respiratory problems that your flock may have. I hope everything works out. I know you care a great deal about your hens.

That is a good point, thank you, I will get some permethrin. I am just worried about spraying the house or powdering them and making any existing respiratory issues possibly worse

 

[Paz]

Mites which are not being destroyed, can be burned. After treating your hens, take them into another coop, then burn everything in the old coop, it will destroy any insect that is causing problems.
You should also shower the hen with cat shampoo.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Amoxicillin works by inhibiting the synthesis of the cell wall in bacteria, essentially destroying the wall, since MG has no cell wall, then Amoxicillin is usually not the best choice for Mycoplasma. But your vet may have a different reason for prescribing and suggesting what they gave you, so it's best that you re-consult them about the meds.

Ivermectin needs to be repeated in 10-14 days, so if you didn't do a follow up this may be why you're having trouble. Mites also do live in the coop, so if they have not been irradicated from housing, then there's another problem. Treating both lice and mites can prove to be difficult, mites can have a life cycle of every 5-7 days depending on the species, so repeating treatment in intervals to kill off those that hatch and break the lifecycle. It may take months.