Mange?

[SilkieChick00]

I just had a guy stop by and pick up my two roo's. He looked at my silkie hens and said they have mange? I never noticed, until he pointed it out. I'll try to explain it as best as I can, but please be patient as I'm new to all this (I know pictures would help, but my camera isn't working). So say your looking at just one feather, well that feather looks like it's had a razor taken to it and just shredded it. If that makes any sense... It's like that on about half of their wing feathers. My Orps haven't gotten it yet. But the guy said it would spread if I didn't do anything about it. He said what he does with his birds is take them inside and put hot water on their feathers and then let them dry out inside for a few days? I trust him to a certian extent. He also told me hen's don't lay without roosters... so you see my perdictament! Lol. Any help will be greatly appreciated. I've looked online for mange in chickens without much luck.


Thanks!

 

[sundance]

sorry I don't know anything about mange on chickens, I thought only dogs got it, My hens look terrible, but they are molting, and I think I would be afraid to use hot water on a sore place, if it hurts me I think it hurts my pets., also your hens can lay with out a roo, they just won't hatch since they aren't "fertilized". Hopefully someone else knows more than I do good luck marrie

 

[silkiechicken]

The guy doesn't really know his stuff. Chickens don't get mange. Silkies especially, and frizzles, can have brittle feathers though causing them to fray at the ends. It is the nature of the feathers and how they grow. They lack the barbs so just kind of "fall apart" at the ends. All my silkies have "shreaded" end feathers and are fluff otherwise. It's normal for them. Only happens in standard feathered birds when they get really worn out.

Never heard of mange in chickens, so kick me if I'm wrong. I don't think you have anythign to worry about.

 

[Cathryn]

If you are worried about lice or mites, you can powder or spray your chickens with poultry spray. I'd ignore him and not let people in your coop. Actually after his being there I'd spray my birds anyways, what does his birds have that he thinks worn out feathers are microscopic mites that burrow under skin? LOL!

Cath

 

[danischi24]

He is wrong. Either it is normal silkie wing feathering you are seeing or feather mites which cause the feathers to look chewed & if they have colors, the colors often fade.