Help needed

[22chickenman]

What is wrong with this girls feathers? Is this moulting? This is my first year with chickens so not too familiar with molting. I would guess that I have a bunch of reds that are changing their feathers, but only one that looks this bad. She also seems to have a red growth at the base of the wing feathers. Any ideas? Should I put polysporin on it? We've treated them a few times for lice/mites, seems to be improving on all of them, but could that be the cause? She's also skinny compared to the others. Any thoughts or ideas are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[22chickenman]

Anybody have any ideas?
I just joined this community so hoping to get some help with this hen before it's too late.

 

[MargaretYakoda]

What is wrong with this girls feathers? Is this moulting? This is my first year with chickens so not too familiar with molting. I would guess that I have a bunch of reds that are changing their feathers, but only one that looks this bad. She also seems to have a red growth at the base of the wing feathers. Any ideas? Should I put polysporin on it? We've treated them a few times for lice/mites, seems to be improving on all of them, but could that be the cause? She's also skinny compared to the others. Any thoughts or ideas are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

It does look like it might just be moulting to me. Does she seem lethargic or sneezy? Have you checked her for mites?

 

[22chickenman]

Thanks for the reply.
She doesn't seem lethargic at all. Eating and drinking well, foraging.
I included another photo, you can see the redness a bit at the base of the wing feathers, not sure this has anything to do with molting though(?).
She did have lice or mites, not sure which, we treated a couple times with a diametaceous earth/wood ash bath. Not sure if she still has them, we will bathe them again in the next few days to see.

 

[MargaretYakoda]

Ah, well it might be the mites then.

Diatomaceous earth ... some people swear by it. But mites are tenacious little twerps and you may have to bring out the big guns. Do a search here for mites and mite control. And with luck someone else will chime in here too, because (knock on wood) I haven't had an issue with mites.