EMERGENCY Dove 911

[midge0413]

I have had my aviary for Three years now and this winter we decided to do something a little different. Instead of using sheets for wind block we used tarps with only the front door as the opening. I don't know if the lack of fresh air along with a red heat light instead of a black one has done something but for about a week my doves have bee looking like their head feathers were ruffled up. Today when I went in to feed them I got a close look at them and their skin was really weird and peeling around their mouths... So when I inspected it huge pieces of feather and skin came off! There was no blood or meat underneath it, just naked skin. One two of them they had weird patches on their wings as well. Where it is the feathers come out with light pressure and it is just gross. I haven't introduced any new birds in since October and I just don't know what is going on. Tomorrow I am cleaning out the bottom but we have never seen anything like this before.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I am at a loss.
It looks like pin feathers developing in one naked spot.
Could it be a form of frost bite?
I am thinking it should be black if it were frostbite.

 

[Tony K T]

Looks to me like they may be roosting to close to the heat lamp and it is drying them out.There is no need for a heat lamp with any bird.If they are outside all the time they produce down to keep them warm.If you provide heast they do not produce enough down to keep them warm.They do need to be in a draft free pen,especially where they roost.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[midge0413]

Thank you so much!!!

 

[midge0413]

@Hokum Coco I don't think its frost bite... It's like the skin was hard and chipped off with the feathers intact. I had one die last week but it was like it had a heart attack and seizures. It was bad. I've never seen anything like it before. It doesn't get below freezing thar much I just worry about them and the quail getting too cold is why I use the light. Plus sometimes we have babies this time of year

 

[Tony K T]

@Hokum Coco I don't think its frost bite... It's like the skin was hard and chipped off with the feathers intact. I had one die last week but it was like it had a heart attack and seizures. It was bad. I've never seen anything like it before. It doesn't get below freezing thar much I just worry about them and the quail getting too cold is why I use the light. Plus sometimes we have babies this time of year

I know you want to keep them warm,but if they don't produce the down to keep them warm,and you lose power what do you think is going to happen?They are much better off with no heat supplied at all.They will survive the cold,but they need to be in a draft free place.They will be much healthier and hardier birds.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[sourland]

If they were mine, I would go back to the black light and increase ventilation hoping to duplicate the environment from previous years.

 

[midge0413]

@sourlandthank you very much. It hasn't been super cold anymore (the joys of living in southeast texas) so we haven't need edit he light though we are expecting a hard freeze this weekend. I did make it more ventilated though and it seems to be working. Thanks again for your help