Hen with Peeling Skin

[LaynaDon95]

I have a 8-ish month old Black Andalusian I got from a flea market. I got her at 6 months old and she has been under quarantine since I picked her up with another of my hens so she would have a friend. she was very pretty when I got her. Nice and clean with bright eyes and shiny feathers. Being stupid, I forgot to give them a place to dust bathe so they got a bad case of mites. Well, her friend did. I assume Andy (The Andalusian. I know, clever.

) did too, even though I never saw a single bug on her, only the other hen. I started treating them with permethrin and gave them a place to dust bathe, which they do so happily every day and the mites are almost all gone. Well, Andy's feathers are falling out now! She's not old enough to be molting, and even if she was, this isn't a molt. I thought she was pulling them out because of the mites. I had some meat birds with depluming mites and they pulled their own feathers out, but Andy's feathers are loose! When I have to catch her she looses 3 or 4 feathers every time because they are so loose. And her skin is peeling really bad. From her face to her vent, it's coming off in sheets. Could she be reacting to the permethrin? I have no idea. I haven't sprayed her in about 2 weeks, so surely that isn't it? And, even though she is about 8 months old, she has not laid me an egg.

 

[delisha]

Give her a bath and a warm place to dry, just in case it is severely poisonous to her.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

I have a 8-ish month old Black Andalusian I got from a flea market. I got her at 6 months old and she has been under quarantine since I picked her up with another of my hens so she would have a friend. she was very pretty when I got her. Nice and clean with bright eyes and shiny feathers. Being stupid, I forgot to give them a place to dust bathe so they got a bad case of mites. Well, her friend did. I assume Andy (The Andalusian. I know, clever.

) did too, even though I never saw a single bug on her, only the other hen. I started treating them with permethrin and gave them a place to dust bathe, which they do so happily every day and the mites are almost all gone. Well, Andy's feathers are falling out now! She's not old enough to be molting, and even if she was, this isn't a molt. I thought she was pulling them out because of the mites. I had some meat birds with depluming mites and they pulled their own feathers out, but Andy's feathers are loose! When I have to catch her she looses 3 or 4 feathers every time because they are so loose. And her skin is peeling really bad. From her face to her vent, it's coming off in sheets. Could she be reacting to the permethrin? I have no idea. I haven't sprayed her in about 2 weeks, so surely that isn't it? And, even though she is about 8 months old, she has not laid me an egg.

When you say, "...treating them with permethrin...," and "...a place to dustbath...," I've gotta ask: Exactly what product(s) are you using, and in what manner? And, details about dustbath?

 

[LaynaDon95]

When you say, "...treating them with permethrin...," and "...a place to dustbath...," I've gotta ask: Exactly what product(s) are you using, and in what manner? And, details about dustbath?

I'm using a permethrin spray made for livestock (including poultry). I've used it on many, many chickens and it has been fine for them. The dust bath is just a mixture of wood ashes, sand, dirt, and diatomaceous earth.

 

[Suzie]

I may be totally wrong here but I have NEVER used permethryn spray on my chickens - I use the spray to kill mites in the coop - i.e. Walls, perches etc.

I use permethryn powder on my chickens......

Suzie

 

[fishnet1971]

i have used the permitherin for livestock sold at TSC on my girls before with no bad results. Just make sure you followed the directions. The amounts -make sure your remembered to Dilute it? Only spray on the bird as directed as far as time? not an everyday thing.

I hope she pulls through for you.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I may be totally wrong here but I have NEVER used permethryn spray on my chickens - I use the spray to kill mites in the coop - i.e. Walls, perches etc.

I use permethryn powder on my chickens......

Suzie

I love the spray. It's much easier to apply in my opinion. Like I said, it's made to spray on livestock, including chickens and I have not had any of my other chickens have a bad reaction to it. Even the girl who is in the tractor with Andy has been sprayed with it, equal amounts and everything, and she is fine. My mom suggested it may be a chemical burn. I think I'm going to bathe her see if I can get her in better shape. I

 

[LaynaDon95]

i have used the permitherin for livestock sold at TSC on my girls before with no bad results. Just make sure you followed the directions. The amounts -make sure your remembered to Dilute it? Only spray on the bird as directed as far as time? not an everyday thing.

I hope she pulls through for you.

The kind I get (I get it from a local feed store) doesn't need to be diluted. And no, I didn't do it every day. More like once a week.

 

[Suzie]

It is likely that the spray you use is different strength to the agricultural permethryn spray here in France - ours does state on the container that it is for housing only and not to be applied directly to animals - I wish it were the same as you have - I would love to spray my horses and fowl.... would save me a lot of time in using other products!

I had a hen who had peeling skin - I had used permethryn powder on her body and she also had scaly leg mites which were being treated with vaseline - it was horrendous, she peeled from head to toe but she is fine now - I did think she would die. Maybe some chickens have a skin reaction to the treatment - in KT's case I thought it was due to her leg mites.....

Best of luck with yours

Suzie

 

[cowcreekgeek]

I'm using a permethrin spray made for livestock (including poultry). I've used it on many, many chickens and it has been fine for them. The dust bath is just a mixture of wood ashes, sand, dirt, and diatomaceous earth.

Figured it'd be worth askin' as a possible source of the symptoms; always look to those things common between those exhibiting similar symptoms, as to first rule them out. In keeping w/ this method? Check everything you offer 'em for spoilage/infestation, and make certain nothing (most esp. their food) you've been using has been recalled (i.e. some chicken food had absolutely no Vitamin D, which had all apparently made it into Goldfish Flakes).

Not sure as to recipes for dust baths, but I do know that there are different types of DE that could be worth lookin' into, and that the ashes from different woods have very different compositions chemically.

Although it may not help (and hopefully won't freak you out needlessly), study closely the following list, and then closely inspect your birds again. And, again (just in case ~'-)


SYMPTOM(S) of the skin ...
POSSIBLE CAUSE(S)

Pigmentation excessive ...
Poor production; high pigment intake
Nodules, mainly legs...
Marek's disease
Nodules over vent...
Flukes (rare)
Moist, necrotic, edematous...
Necrotic dermatitis, exudative diathesis
Darkened, purplish...
Erysipelas; fowl cholera
Crusted areas...
Erysipelas; scab; gangrenous dermatitis
Scabby hip...
Self picking, inflicted by other birds
Gangrenous, green...
Hemmorhage; arthritis; gangrenous dermatitis
Vent irritated...
Northern fowl mite; lice (occasionally)
Pale...
Anemia; nutritional deficiencies-iron, copper, or vitamin B12