Help!!! Orange Mystery clusters on my flock

[nightowl223]

Any news on this? I've never seen anything like it, and am quite interested to know what it is.

 

[R3n3308]

Any news on this? I've never seen anything like it, and am quite interested to know what it is.

I think it might be slime mold like the lady said above. I have been washing them (bc everyone said they were eggs) and letting them air dry. I'm in TX so this past week has been hot and very humid bc it rained 2x. So the weather and myself were not helping. I have since began to spray with white vinegar and tea tree oil. I think it might be working. I did not take them to the vet bc it's over $100 and I'm not even sure they could tell me what it is, since no one on any chicken pages has seen it. We were talking about me taking it to my work so one of the docs can look at it through a microscope. (Which I will do if it continues)

 

[nightowl223]

I think it might be slime mold like the lady said above. I have been washing them (bc everyone said they were eggs) and letting them air dry. I'm in TX so this past week has been hot and very humid bc it rained 2x. So the weather and myself were not helping. I have since began to spray with white vinegar and tea tree oil. I think it might be working. I did not take them to the vet bc it's over $100 and I'm not even sure they could tell me what it is, since no one on any chicken pages has seen it. We were talking about me taking it to my work so one of the docs can look at it through a microscope. (Which I will do if it continues)

Please keep us updated, especially if you take a sample in to work!

 

[Eggcessive]

Colorado potato bug larvae:

 

[MROO]

You're in Texas? Texas A&M University has a world-class poultry division. I would definitely send pics to them & see what they come up with ... and please, let us know!

Texas A&M University
Department of Poultry Science
101 Kleberg Center
2472 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-2472

Main Office Phone: 979-845-1931
Departmental Fax: 979-845-1921

 

[Eggcessive]

A beetle eating Colorado Potato Beetle larvae

 

[nightowl223]

Colorado potato bug larvae:
View attachment 1445905

That must have been one confused bug, if that's what it is.

 

[azygous]

That must have been one confused bug, if that's what it is.

Although those orange things on the chickens look like insect eggs, it's highly unlikely. In the insect world, lots of insects lay their eggs in or on a host. They do this so the hatchlings will have a food source when they come into the world.

Lice lay their eggs on chicken feather shafts so the baby lice will have a ready source of feather dander and flaky dead skin to eat. Those potato bug eggs will hatch and the larvae will have the leaf to eat as it grows through its stages to be an adult potato beetle.(Yuk, I hate those things)

So this is probably why none of us chicken peeps have ever seen anything like that. If it is from an insect that feeds on chicken skin, it must be extremely rare.

If it is a fungus, a far more effective substance to treat the chickens' skin with would be Oxine. It's safe around and used on chickens, and it will kill just about any bacteria, virus and fungus. Read up on it. It may even help with lice and mites to an extent. https://www.shagbarkbantams.com/the-many-uses-of-oxine-ah-animal-health/ You can buy it here. They ship immediately on receiving your order. https://www.revivalanimal.com/product/oxine-animal-health-ah?sku=15101-801

 

[April’s Zoo]

You're in Texas? Texas A&M University has a world-class poultry division. I would definitely send pics to them & see what they come up with ... and please, let us know!

Texas A&M University
Department of Poultry Science
101 Kleberg Center
2472 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-2472

Main Office Phone: 979-845-1931
Departmental Fax: 979-845-1921

^This... x100.
It won’t cost anything to call and talk to someone, and ask to send them the pictures.... if they know what it is— great. Then you’ll know whether to worry or not. If they’ve never seen anything like it before, then they’ll want to help you find out what it is, in order to keep other flocks in Texas safe.

 

[R3n3308]

I called the number above for the school. Left a message. So just waiting to gear back from them.