Favus and black beak

[acheandrea]

Hi
I have 6 girls in my flock of bantams 2 x Ancona, 2 Dutch, a Pekin and my old Sablepoot and live in the UK. I have been treating them for Favus for the last 2 months. They have suffered feather loss on their heads, neck and chest. I have never had Favus in my previous flocks and still can’t work out how we have got it In this flock, we got 5 young hens last August to keep my old hen company.
I have been treating them with Canestan cream on their combs which is slowly seeing the regrowth of feathers after Intense treatment over last 2 months.
Unfortunately I have recently noticed one Ancona hen has developed black streaks along her beak and my Sablepoot has black around her beak - see photos. At the moment they seem their usual self
however the eggs production has dropped.
I have spoken to a vet but she has never heard of this problem before? She suggests no treatment unless their health worsens.
Has anyone heard of this? Could you suggest Treatment?
Any advice would be appreciated
Thanks

 

[Eggcessive]

Since you are seeing improvement with the canestan cream, I would continue that. Is that the same thing as nystatin? Miconazole is another good cream that treats favus. I am not sure about the blackening of the beak. Here is a good article to read:
https://www.farmhealthonline.com/US/disease-management/poultry-diseases/favus/

 

[acheandrea]

Hi Eggcessive
Thank you for your reply.
Canesten has 1%clotrimazole. I was recommended to use this cream. Following your response I have checked for cream containing miconazole and I have found an alternative cream called Daktarin that contains 2% Miconazole, so I will swap to this cream as soon as I can. Thanks for the link and your advice

 

[Eggcessive]

Let us know how the chickens get along. Both clotrimazole and miconazole are good antifungal creams.

 

[acheandrea]

Let us know how the chickens get along. Both clotrimazole and miconazole are good antifungal creams.

I am noticing that my other older hen now has the blackness going down her beak and one of my Dutch bantams appears to have a darkening on her beak near her nostrils. I am concerned that whatever it is it is spreading through the flock. I have Just spoken to a vet by telephone and they are not concerned at the moment, they think it may be the sun. If there are any other developments I will Ask to see a vet. I will keep you posted of how things go.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The black on the beaks is just their natural coloring.
https://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Baby-Chicks/Ancona-p724.aspx

Do you have a rooster/cockerel?
The loss of feathers looks like either from mating or picking.

 

[acheandrea]

I have 2 Ancona and only 1 has got the beak which is going black. My older hen, a Sablepoot aged 8 years old has her beak turning black too as well as one of the other younger hens. It seems to be spreading which is why I am concerned. No I don’t have a cockerel. I believe the feather loss is from Favus, it affected all of the younger hens and I have been treating it for a couple of months now. They are now also starting to moult so a lot going on but they all seem well. It is troubling me that more than one hen has the black beak. Can’t help but question whether I have done something wrong? Thanks for your reply and I appreciate any suggestions.

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree, the beak color is normal. You can have several of the same breeds, and there can be slight variance in weight, size, leg color, beak, etc. people who breed for certain characteristics will cull birds and sell them to get the look they want. The eggs all taste the same to me.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have 2 Ancona and only 1 has got the beak which is going black. My older hen, a Sablepoot aged 8 years old has her beak turning black too as well as one of the other younger hens. It seems to be spreading which is why I am concerned. No I don’t have a cockerel. I believe the feather loss is from Favus, it affected all of the younger hens and I have been treating it for a couple of months now. They are now also starting to moult so a lot going on but they all seem well. It is troubling me that more than one hen has the black beak. Can’t help but question whether I have done something wrong? Thanks for your reply and I appreciate any suggestions.

You have done nothing wrong.
The coloring is just the beak coloring.

 

[acheandrea]

You have done nothing wrong.
The coloring is just the beak coloring.

Ok, thanks