Help! Scabs all over chicken

[plaidapus]

A few days ago, I noticed our Delaware was losing feathers. She's a few months over a year so I thought she was having an off first molt and didn't notice anything on a cursory check.

Yesterday, she was lethargic and drinking a lot of water. Upon checking her, I found horrible dark gray scabs and sores all over her body, a swollen ear lobe (seems filled with blood, not a tumor), and a hard crop.

Photos don't do justice to how covered she is since it's hard to get clear pictures through the feathers.

She's been inside since then and is eating and drinking, though I am taking away food since her crop didn't empty overnight. She's having liquid green diarrhea and lost weight. She's alert, but also happy to cuddle up in my arms which is not typical.

She is vaccinated for Merek's, though I know my flock carries it as I lost 3 chickens earlier (all vaccinated).

I'm beside myself. It doesn't seem like fowl pox, but I can't find anything else like this.

 

[CIuck]

A few days ago, I noticed our Delaware was losing feathers. She's a few months over a year so I thought she was having an off first molt and didn't notice anything on a cursory check.

Yesterday, she was lethargic and drinking a lot of water. Upon checking her, I found horrible dark gray scabs and sores all over her body, a swollen ear lobe (seems filled with blood, not a tumor), and a hard crop.

Photos don't do justice to how covered she is since it's hard to get clear pictures through the feathers.

She's been inside since then and is eating and drinking, though I am taking away food since her crop didn't empty overnight. She's having liquid green diarrhea and lost weight. She's alert, but also happy to cuddle up in my arms which is not typical.

She is vaccinated for Merek's, though I know my flock carries it as I lost 3 chickens earlier (all vaccinated).

I'm beside myself. It doesn't seem like fowl pox, but I can't find anything else like this.

I am so sorry . I am not an expert so I have no idea whats happening but I hope shes going to be ok... can someone give an opinion of whats happing?

 

[plaidapus]

Update: gave her some mineral oil and massaged her crop and it's starting to loosen up, which is promising.

Scabs remain horrifying.

 

[CIuck]

Update: gave her some mineral oil and massaged her crop and it's starting to loosen up, which is promising.

Scabs remain horrifying.

Im glad that helps! I hope she gets better!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yesterday, she was lethargic and drinking a lot of water. Upon checking her, I found horrible dark gray scabs and sores all over her body, a swollen ear lobe (seems filled with blood, not a tumor), and a hard crop.

Photos don't do justice to how covered she is since it's hard to get clear pictures through the feathers.

She's been inside since then and is eating and drinking, though I am taking away food since her crop didn't empty overnight. She's having liquid green diarrhea and lost weight. She's alert, but also happy to cuddle up in my arms which is not typical.

She is vaccinated for Merek's, though I know my flock carries it as I lost 3 chickens earlier (all vaccinated).

Update: gave her some mineral oil and massaged her crop and it's starting to loosen up, which is promising.

Scabs remain horrifying.

Glad the mineral oil is helping with the crop. You can also give coconut oil as well.

What do you feed including treats?

Have you notice if she's been picked at by the flock? The earlobe, I see scabbing alone with some swelling - to me that swelling would indicate infection. Have you checked her really well for lice and mites?
Do you notice her picking at herself?

Hard to know what the scabs on the body are - possible some of those may be impacted feather follicles. But that doesn't explain the legs...

I would be tempted to investigate a scab or two on the body, see what's under there and see if there's any feather follicles that are pus filled, have a curled feather, etc.
If you do remove a scab, swab the area well with chlorhexidine or betadine when you are done and apply triple antibiotic ointment.
Depending on what you find underneath 1-2 scabs would dictate what you do next.

The ones on the legs, I think I would apply a small amount of triple antibiotic ointment and see how if that helps.

If you have vet care, that would be best.

One more thing...can you get a photo of all of her?

Here's you other thread - I do agree she looked like she was molting then. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/help-sudden-feather-loss-photos.1326611/

 

[plaidapus]

Glad the mineral oil is helping with the crop. You can also give coconut oil as well.

What do you feed including treats?

Have you notice if she's been picked at by the flock? The earlobe, I see scabbing alone with some swelling - to me that swelling would indicate infection. Have you checked her really well for lice and mites?
Do you notice her picking at herself?

Hard to know what the scabs on the body are - possible some of those may be impacted feather follicles. But that doesn't explain the legs...

I would be tempted to investigate a scab or two on the body, see what's under there and see if there's any feather follicles that are pus filled, have a curled feather, etc.
If you do remove a scab, swab the area well with chlorhexidine or betadine when you are done and apply triple antibiotic ointment.
Depending on what you find underneath 1-2 scabs would dictate what you do next.

The ones on the legs, I think I would apply a small amount of triple antibiotic ointment and see how if that helps.

If you have vet care, that would be best.

One more thing...can you get a photo of all of her?

Here's you other thread - I do agree she looked like she was molting then. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/help-sudden-feather-loss-photos.1326611/

Thanks for your reply.

For feed, we use Country Life Organic Chicken Feed from Costco. Treats are a mix of mealworms and scratch, usually Henny Penny or Happy Hens.

She has been picked on by other hens in the past (when she and 2 others were first introduced), but I spend a fair amount of time with then and didn't notice fresh blood or any fighting recently. The majority of the scabbing and sores also aren't around the neck/head, but moreso the abdomen, rear, even some on the wings, so it doesn't seem consistent.

She hasn't bothered or picked at them since she's been inside, which is good.

No sign of lice or mites. I did pick off a little scabbing, to make sure it wasn't a tumor. It was incredibly hard, but it was just a scab, with a sore underneath. The scab has grown around the feathers, which all seem fine (except the ones that have fallen out) and new ones are already growing back normally. No pus or even irritation.

Thank you for the treatment tips. We don't have access to vets here that know anything about chickens. We tried avian vets in the past, but they were useless except for a $350 euthanasia which I'll humanely do if she starts to go on me.

She had some brown diarrhea after working the crop, so that's some progress. After soak in the bath (necessary from earlier diarrhea), her bigger scabs are looking a little better. I'll try to get better photos, though she looks OK from a distance, just thinner than usual.

 

[plaidapus]

 

[Fluffs_flock]

I'd guess bullying is the case here. Make a chicken apron (https://weallsew.com/how-to-make-a-chicken-apron-or-hen-saddle/) to protect her back. It does not have to be fancy, just something to protect her.
Do you know how high she is in the pecking order?
One way to see if it has to do with the other chickens is put her near them, outside of the run, or somewhere like that. Does she go up to them? Does she try to get away?

I hope she gets better.

 

[plaidapus]

I'd guess bullying is the case here. Make a chicken apron (https://weallsew.com/how-to-make-a-chicken-apron-or-hen-saddle/) to protect her back. It does not have to be fancy, just something to protect her.
Do you know how high she is in the pecking order?
One way to see if it has to do with the other chickens is put her near them, outside of the run, or somewhere like that. Does she go up to them? Does she try to get away?

I hope she gets better.

She occasionally has been pecked on her neck, but I don't know how she would be pecked to this degree, especially on her stomach, especially without any sign of blood. It is possible though, as we are dealing with wildfires so they've spent more time in the coop.

She's on the lower half of the pecking order. I spend a few hours a day with them and they rarely peck, unless squabbling over treats. The six chickens all sleep on the same rung (there are multiple) and she's big, though not dominant. She usually spends her time with the 2 other younger ones. They've all been together over a year.

 

[Fluffs_flock]

She might have been fighting to get higher. Try checking the other birds and seeing if they have any blood on them. I would let her visit with the other chickens when she seems better. Through wire, so she won't get attacked. But as long as she's not at the bottom of the pecking order you don't want her to go down the list.