Favus treatment advice

[leelajoy]

I suspect one of my chickens has favus. A white powdery substance on her ear lobes and loosing feathers especially on tail and bottom. Otherwise acting fine. I've read treating it with with clotrimazole, which I just happen to have but how often and for how long? Any advice? Also was thinking of cleaning the coop with some vinegar and tea tree oil solution. Any other thoughts? Cider vinegar in their water maybe?

Cheers!

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I used Lotrimin AF - athletes food medicine - when my girl had the white spots at her ears. Two treatments over two days and it was gone and we've not seen it come back.

Be easy with the tea tree oil, don't know if the smell of it will bother them like some smells do but I can say it bothers me! Can't be within feet of that stuff, it takes my breath. I know some people have adverse response to it, don't know if birds do.

 

[leelajoy]

I should also add that I've read that some chickens just get a normal discoloration on their ear lobes and it's not a fungal infection at all! Any more advice is most welcome. Don't want to be treating my girl if she doesn't need it!

 

[leelajoy]

Thanks for that. Yeah, I was wondering about smell of tea tree oil too. I would i dilute in water and vinegar and spray onto of their box that they like to sleep on and then leave in sun for a bit to help kill any fungus if that is what it is.

 

[leelajoy]

The loss of feathers is mostly on her underside but perhaps that's just her molting or still getting feathers in from molting back in June/july time.