Help! Is this Mites, lice or just a dirty bum

[kimmered]

Hi there,

I'm totally new at this so I have no idea what I'm dealing with. I've looked at a few posts about a dirty bum and I think I might have a bit of a problem. I got 2 hens 4 days ago from a guy who got them from a battery farm. He had been free-ranging them for 4 mos, but didn't really take care of them. Didn't treat them for any parasites/diseases etc. So one of them started laying eggs 2 days ago, but she is also the one with a really really dirty bum. I didn't think anything of that until I started reading some posts on here. So I got her in a tub of warm water and soaked/splashed soapy warm water on her for about 10 mins. I pretty much got most of the poo off, but there is still some caked on there. Should I try and get that off?? I uploaded some pictures which aren't the best because she kept moving. Any advice or suggestions would be really appreciated!!!

 

[seminolewind]

If he didn't care for them, you can safely treat them for worms, lice and mites. And my fix for poo on the butt feathers is to cut it off. It's just going to get dirty again. I guess some vits may be nice too.

 

[kimmered]

Ok so it's completely safe/pain free to cut the feathers off back there? Just sort of an inch long or right to the skin?

 

[Partyfowl]

Hi. Her bottum sure looks raw. Either she is picking at it or getting it picked at. Can you see white on the shaft of her feathers. I once adopted a lice coated roo that was so infested that I washed him in Adams dog shampoo made for lice/ticks and critters of all sorts. Then cleaned the coop out (gutted it) and washed, rinsed, repeat in 7-10 days

. I would also make you put some black salve on the pick spot or blu kote, it taste like crap, and the dont pick any more. You also have less chance of a infection definately if the old owner didnt keep his bird very clean.

 

[kimmered]

Thanks for your replies. I checked on her today and her feathers are messy again after I gave her a bath. She REALLY smells and there is a clear liquid that is just dripping from her feathers near her bum on a regular basis. I'm going to take her to the vet tomorrow, but I want to be as well informed as possible in case my vet doesn't know that much about chickens. Any ideas?? Is it worms??

 

[seminolewind]

I would still cut her feathers off under her vent. Some of mine get "the haircut". I just make sure that I clip off the feather or dirty parts, usually there's about 1/4 to 1/2 inch left. It's pain free, and you can wash the scissors after, LOL

 

[Lollipop]

Yup, good advise from all. The feathers can be cut even with the skin, if needed. If her vent gets dirty again, mix some mollasses in her water, to look like weak tea, for a day. That should stop it......Pop

 

[kimmered]

Thanks again for your advice. My vet didn't think I should cut her feathers, but I think I might anyways. She's getting antiobiotics and some de-worming medicine and some powder for mites. so fingers crossed she feels better soon! Cheers.

 

[cocosandy]

In parrots you dont cut the feathers unless you know what youre doing because they can be blood feathers and the bird can bleed to death. In chickens, you can safely trim atound the butt.
I was doing that the other night and I found mites...ugh! they seem like dirt but they are incorporated into the feathers and there is sometimes dead skin that has hardened under them...when you look deaper they are in there swarming around. when you powder them you have to really work the powder in....what a mess! Ive never seen that, but at least it was only a little colony under half the bird's vents....then I powdered them all and their house...Im probably gonna eprinex them again (Eprinex pour on...didnt seem to work 3 weeks ago when I used it as part of worming...oh well)
yes...I powdered them down well.
I have a guy coming tomorrow and though its too cold to wash things down I can havbe him take all bedding out, spray with oxine solution and let it dry and replace bedding over DE and mite powder....
I never want to see that again!

 

[seminolewind]

I think you have to use the Eprinex 3-4 weeks later a few times. The mite eggs hatch and start all over again. I believe bugs have to actually bite the chicken to ingest the poison.