Gasping, yellow dry skin- please HELP

[JaneBrook]

Hi I’m hoping someone can help me-
My year old frizzle called Molly has started gasping for air & over the last few days I’ve noticed her balding on her head (which I put down to molting) but it looks like eczema although the skin is yellow under her feathers...
I wish I could upload a video but it won’t let me

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like she has a severe case of favus, a fungus growing on the skin of her head. It is contagious, and it seems to affect a more sickly chicken, maybe who has some other illness or poor immunity. You will want to wear gloves and apply miconazole cream (available at Walmart for $5 as Equate monistat 7) or clotrimazole cream which is sold at the dollar store and elsewhere. Use it daily.

The gasping can be a sign of a respiratory disease or fluid in her lower belly (ascites.) Some respiratory diseases can be cause by mold fungus, bacteria, and viruses. Has she had any sneezing, watery or bubbly eye, facial swelling, or nasal drainage? Is she eating and drinking okay?

 

[Eggcessive]

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/ringworm

Favus in a chicken

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is some more info on favus:
http://www.veeru.reading.ac.uk/comp2/Poultryweb/disease/favus/favus.htm

 

[JaneBrook]

It looks like she has a severe case of favus, a fungus growing on the skin of her head. It is contagious, and it seems to affect a more sickly chicken, maybe who has some other illness or poor immunity. You will want to wear gloves and apply miconazole cream (available at Walmart for $5 as Equate monistat 7) or clotrimazole cream which is sold at the dollar store and elsewhere. Use it daily.

The gasping can be a sign of a respiratory disease or fluid in her lower belly (ascites.) Some respiratory diseases can be cause by mold fungus, bacteria, and viruses. Has she had any sneezing, watery or bubbly eye, facial swelling, or nasal drainage? Is she eating and drinking okay?

Thank you for your reply...
There is no watery or bubbly eye facial swelling or nasal drainage- Molly is also eating & drinking ok- I’m in the uk & the creams you mentioned is similar to canesten over here- an anti fungal cream. It’s seems to be all over her body should I rub it in all over her?

 

[Eggcessive]

Does she have any yellow lesions or plaques inside her beak, if you shine a light inside? Has there been mold or wet conditions in her coop? Dust and poor air circulation can add to respiratory problems. If you could examine her lower abdomen between her legs to search for any enlargement or tightness, that might tell us if she could possibly have ascites or internal laying.

 

[Eggcessive]

That sounds like a hard thing to do, to apply cream to the whole body. I might check with a vet to see if they have any suggestions. Have you examined her for lice and lice eggs or mites? If she is molting, she may have a lot of dander that might look like the fungal infection. Povidone iodine could be used in a warm bath, but doing that often would also be a little tedious. The vet may have other treatments, or may rule out the fungus on the skin. Do you know how long this has been affecting her?

 

[JaneBrook]

That sounds like a hard thing to do, to apply cream to the whole body. I might check with a vet to see if they have any suggestions. Have you examined her for lice and lice eggs or mites? If she is molting, she may have a lot of dander that might look like the fungal infection. Povidone iodine could be used in a warm bath, but doing that often would also be a little tedious. The vet may have other treatments, or may rule out the fungus on the skin. Do you know how long this has been affecting her?

Eggcessive, you are so helpful thank you - I’ve just been out to check the beak & can’t see any problems there - there coop is dry & totally mold free, everyday there bedding is fluffed up new straw added & poop removed - their food & water is fresh everyday too with cider vinegar added - maybe I should take her to the vet as I’m panicking- I’m sure she’s gone broody too x

 

[JaneBrook]

Eggcessive, I’ve noticed her balding on the head about a week ago but put it down to molting - then a couple of days ago she went broody & that’s when I noticed the breathing... I syringed some water into her beak thinking she was dehydrated but she’s still gasping. Oh & there’s no sign of mites or lice x

 

[Eggcessive]

Her scalp doesn’t look nearly as bad as some of the scary photos, so the vet could decide if it looks like favus, or is just dry skin with molting. They can do a skin scraping for fungus. A molt seems to be a stressful time where they can develop an illness when there has been something brewing. Let us know what you learn.