Missing Feathers?

[mjdtexan]

Some of my girls are looking downright pitiful, missing feathers on their rear ends. It looks worse than molting. So of them have skin that looked irritated and swollen. I just had one in my hands and was not able to detect mites. What is my next step?

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

I would dust them anyway. Could be lice, which are much harder to find...unless you can find their tell-tale egg sacs at the base of the feathers near the vent...

 

[mjdtexan]

Quote:
I've never dealt with the lice, go on please, tell me more.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Check the feathers around the vent area for a weird clumping at the base of the feather. When you touch it, it feels like spongy material, or like a little hairball. That's the egg sac. I've never found adult lice on my birds, but when I see the egg sacs, I know they are there...I bathe them, and pull off as many egg sacs as I can (often pulling feathers out with them, as they are extremely difficult to remove) and then dust birds and bedding.

 

[mjdtexan]

Quote:
Thank You. I am going to go out there and check that.