Feather Loss, Bright Red Skin

[WeedEater]

My PBRs are nearly a year old, and I have several left to cull, as I have a new mixed flock growing in the brooder. However, one roo in particular has feather loss on his inner legs and his rear, below his longer tail feathers. The skin in these areas looks red and inflamed. A brief look in the few book resources I have did not reveal anything notable....if he is to be culled anyway, does he need to be healed first? Do I put him in isolation? Yes the roosters fight, but for the most part get a long. I have not been able to observe this particular bird for long periods of time to see if he is preening them out himself. I have another roo that has shaggy, whiter than normal PBR feathers on his chest, that look loose and ragged. However, where his feather density is lacking, the skin looks normal and yellow.

What's the likely diagnosis?

 

[HennysMom]

It could be that he is being pecked or pulling them out, or it could be that he has mites. Have you checked him and your flock?

I dont know the answer on eating him or not. Maybe someone else will chime in.

 

[Judy]

I would check very carefully for mites or lice. They usually start around the vent. Easiest to check on the roost with good flashlight. You may see evidence at the base of the feather or along the shaft. If they are present (one BYC member remarked, if you have chickens, you have lice) you will have to treat the coop and run as well as all birds. Usual tx is Sevin dust, and must be repeated in 10-14 days. I would still eat them but wait a while to butcher. If you butcher without treatment, I would eat, but be sure to disinfect between flocks.

 

[sweetpeasmom]

I have several hens and two roosters who have the same problem. I think that it is mites and lice. I have had a hard time keeping the mites and lice under control. I dusted with sevin dust a while back and I had put out DE for them to bathe in. I first thought that I had chemical burned them but they are not getting better. I checked them again yesterday and they were all covered in lice and mites. I put a couple drops of cydectin on everyone yesterday evening, when I checked them this evening I didn't see any evidence of anything on them. I just caught each of them and turned them over so that I could put the cydectin under the vent area where the infestation is at. I am going to spray there lot and coop with permectrin tomorrow. If I think they need something else I will dip them in a permectrin dip. I hope this helps you out. Also the hens that are infested the area underneth the vent has started to swell horrible. I don't know if that has something to do with the mites or it that is a secondary problem. Good luck

 

[speckledhen]

Know that when they lose feathers, the skin often looks very red anyway, even if there are no pests on board.

 

[Schroeder]

This might be a little off topic, but what are the chances that one day old chicks would bring lice/mights with them. Mine are four weeks old and had never been out of the basement until two days ago when I moved them to their brand, spankin new coop. Is there a chance they might have bugs?

 

[kitinwest]

I have had my chicks about a week and a half. One has bright red skin around the tail feathers, so I put that one in isolation until I can figure out what is going on! It's a sudden problem that I came home to after a few hours away. It's just the one, so I'm not sure if someone else may be picking on this one or if I should be looking for another problem/solution. Thanks for any input!

 

[mary5412]

My rooster has had this red skin for 2 months. Also very red on legs. First I gave ivermectin thinking it was lice or mites. this works for all my other chickens. Nothing happened. So gave antibiotics, pen g. I kept at the Pen G for 2 weeks, then it was cleared up and stopped. But then it came roaring back in 2 days. I dipped the chicken in Rip Tide liquid. Nothing. Went back on Pen G. Might give till clears up plus a week. I remember this happening before and it took several months to clear up. What a pain. I like this rooster so putting in the effort.

But would like to know if this is some disease.