Chicken has a skin problem and looks weak. Please help!

[hyper_chick]

Hi,

My 3 yo chicken started bolding on the back a few months ago. I thought she was molting. But now I see scabs on her skin. She behaves weak and unusual (nervous maybe). Also, she trips when she walks. She sits in the nest (sleeps there too). She was shivering this morning and we took her home. She eats and drinks normal. Poops too. She is calm now in a box in our living room. I fed her a half of a hard boiled egg. What can we do to treat her? Does it look as a pest problem? Infection? I would appreciate any help.

Thank you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you have a rooster?

Looks like she's being plucked, picked and/or overmated.

I'd consider separating her out since she's in poor condition. Provide her with chick starter or an all flock feed to eat. Egg, fish or meat can be added as a treat. It wouldn't hurt to give supportive vitamin therapy. I'd give her 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily for a couple of weeks.

Look her over for lice/mites and see that her crop is emptying.
What's her feet and legs look like - can you get a photo or two of her standing?

For her back, I'd rub a little vaseline, aquafor or nustock into the skin every few days. For her head, I would not use Nustock, but a little vaseline or aquafor.

 

[hyper_chick]

Thank you so much!

She is separate now in our living room. We don't have a rooster, she has 7 sisters. She doesn't stand. When I try to raise her she sits right away. She feels very skinny. Do you mean to separate her from the others permanently? I hope we can get strong again and will be able to rejoin her flock. I don't see any parasites on her but I have no experience.

I really appreciate your help. Thank you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Poor girl!

She's not able to walk? Is there any indication of bumblefoot or scabs on the bottom of her feet? If she's on a non-slip surface instead of the hardwood floor, can she stand?

Her scales are a bit raised which may indicate Scaly Leg Mites, I'd work a little vaseline into the toes and legs working it up under and into the scales. Do this a couple of times a week.

To look for external parasites, look around her vent, under and through her feathers, around her wings, etc. for crawling lice or signs of mites. Here's a good i.d. article
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

For now, if she's unable to walk on her own, then it would be a good idea to temporarily keep her separated out with her own food/water so you can tend to her more easily. The goal should always be getting her healthy so she can rejoin her flock.

Hard to know why she's being plucked and what's caused her decline. Sometimes one is low in pecking order and kept from food, then they get picked on and things go down hill from there.
Other times there may be more at play, some type of reproductive problem, worms, parasites, etc. etc., so many things affect chickens.

Start with the basics, see that her crop is emptying, treat the skin and scabs, look her over for external parasites if you find any, then treat with a Permethrin based poultry spray or dust. Getting a fecal float to rule out worms as a contributor of decline is a good idea.
Encourage her to eat her normal feed and stay hydrated along with giving an extra boost with the vitamins.

 

[hyper_chick]

Wyorp Rock,​

Thank you so much! A great article about parasites. I checked her thoroughly. I didn't find any signs of lice or mites. No bumblefoot either. She can walk a little bit but she is unstable. She easily trips when she tries to walk. I didn't have vaseline but I thought that beeswax with coconut oil would be a good alternative. I applied it all over the crusty skin. She eats well. Gets extra protein and vitamins. She looks better than she was yesterday. She is calm and not shivering anymore. I hope she would beef up and grow her feathers soon.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It's good that she's able to take a few steps.
I'd focus on getting her to eat and stay hydrated. The vitamins can sometimes help boost them. E and B1 are helpful with balance and neurological issues, so this is why I suggested those.

She's weak, so it may take her several days to show a lot of improvement but be hopeful