Chicken loosing feahters on her head and sneezing

[KlinoClucks]

Hi BYC and chicken lovers!
I have a few sick chickens here and I was wondering if anyone knows what they have and/or how to cure them? I have one pullet who I bought along with eight other chicks, and as she got bigger, she seemed to start sneezing - a lot. I increased her ACV and specially gave her a good dose everyday, though she sneezed most of it up again. It didn't really help, and she hasn't picked up any weight the last several months. She is literally skin and bone when you pick her up, which worries me because she is a seven + month old Faverolle hen. Recently, I noticed that she has been losing all the feathers on her head (picture attatched).
Another hen, same age and breed as she is, was attacked by an owl three months ago. She escaped, but she hasn't put on any weight whatsoever since and she is also losing all the feathers on her head.
I'm pretty stuck on what to do so any tips would be appreciated!

 

[ashlierami]

Hi BYC and chicken lovers!
I have a few sick chickens here and I was wondering if anyone knows what they have and/or how to cure them? I have one pullet who I bought along with eight other chicks, and as she got bigger, she seemed to start sneezing - a lot. I increased her ACV and specially gave her a good dose everyday, though she sneezed most of it up again. It didn't really help, and she hasn't picked up any weight the last several months. She is literally skin and bone when you pick her up, which worries me because she is a seven + month old Faverolle hen. Recently, I noticed that she has been losing all the feathers on her head (picture attatched).
Another hen, same age and breed as she is, was attacked by an owl three months ago. She escaped, but she hasn't put on any weight whatsoever since and she is also losing all the feathers on her head.
I'm pretty stuck on what to do so any tips would be appreciated! View attachment 1880209 View attachment 1880210

Based on experience with my flock being thin has been due to a work issue or mites and lice. The feather loss I have seen due to molt or bullying from the other flock members or being overrated by roosters. I would check them for mites and lice . I find them in the tail feathers and close to the vent on my birds. Is sneezing the only thing they are doing ? What are they being fed? Do they have any discharge from their noses that may or may not have an odor? Is their coop or area they sleep in dusty? I can always tell when my coop needs airing out or fresh litter because one of my roosters sneezes alot and becomes congested. Once I change it and the ammonia levels are down he's fine. If they haven't been dewormed it might be a good idea to do that so they can pick up some weight and provide a good protein feed. I give boiled eggs to my girls when they lose alot of weight from going broody and it helps. If they are sneezing only then it could be respiratory or something as simple as allergies. When mine sneeze only and eat and drink well with no other symptoms I usually just let it be and it goes away. If they are huddled ,not eating, sleeping alot, producing mucus, breathing with their besk open or sneezing up things I give tylan 50. Usually within 3 days they improve. I would keep the sick away from the healthy until you determine what's going on. Also what does their poop look like? Do they have a dirty bottom?

 

[KlinoClucks]

Thanks for the informative reply! Yes, they do have mites and I have been treating for a while, though right now I'm waiting for a new treatment to arrive. I have three flocks of chickens, and the flock with the sick chicken are in a movable chicken tractor which I move every 2 weeks. All my chickens are being fed a complete layer mix a buy from the feed store, which I give them fermented, they get bran made with warm water and herbs, plus scraps every now and again. I change their water every 2 days and wash all the waterers once a week. In their water I always give them a good dose of ACV. I haven't deworemed in a while, what would you recommend me using? My flocks consist of older chickens as well as very young ones. It's only one hen who has been sneezing very bad, and she has been coughing up mucus a lot and sometimes she struggles to breathe. She also breathes mostly through her beak, though she has a good appetite and drinks a good amount of water. I haven't noticed any bullying in that particular flock, but I will keep a closer eye on them. No, they have all had clean bottoms and their poop looks fine. She prefers not to be too active, though wherever her fellow chickens go, she goes happily along and doesn't mind a long day freeranging with them at all.

 

[ashlierami]

Thanks for the informative reply! Yes, they do have mites and I have been treating for a while, though right now I'm waiting for a new treatment to arrive. I have three flocks of chickens, and the flock with the sick chicken are in a movable chicken tractor which I move every 2 weeks. All my chickens are being fed a complete layer mix a buy from the feed store, which I give them fermented, they get bran made with warm water and herbs, plus scraps every now and again. I change their water every 2 days and wash all the waterers once a week. In their water I always give them a good dose of ACV. I haven't deworemed in a while, what would you recommend me using? My flocks consist of older chickens as well as very young ones. It's only one hen who has been sneezing very bad, and she has been coughing up mucus a lot and sometimes she struggles to breathe. She also breathes mostly through her beak, though she has a good appetite and drinks a good amount of water. I haven't noticed any bullying in that particular flock, but I will keep a closer eye on them. No, they have all had clean bottoms and their poop looks fine. She prefers not to be too active, though wherever her fellow chickens go, she goes happily along and doesn't mind a long day freeranging with them at all.

Sounds like you treat your birds well! The hen who sneezes probably isn't as active if she can't breathe well which makes sense. When mine have the productive sneeze I use tylan 50 and rub vetrx on their wattles and comb at night if it's severe I'll drop a few drops down their throat. The vetrx smells very menthol like and it opened their airways up. I have heard wazine as the go to wormer but I just use ivermectin pour on for cattle. It does a good job for internal as well as external parasites. There's plenty of controversy with it as far as egg withdrawal and it being a cattle product. It's worked wonders for me and I do not withdraw eggs and have been fine. I may find out in the future it was a mistake but until then I choose to eat the eggs. I treat them once a month and I haven't seen mites since. Their feathers are healthier and they picked up alot of weight since I started using this.