New birds have black "scab-ish" specks on comb... Mites?

[Pent]

My new trio of white wyàndotte bantams have some little black pieces, that look very much like blood spots on their combs. I have no other birds presently, and if it is mites I want this felt with before my spring chicks get here. One question I do have, if I treat with ivarmectin, can I still try a practice hatch with the eggs before my expensive eggs get here?
The birds don't seem itchy, and it has been cold so spots of frost damage from wet fermented feed are possible, but I'm better safe than sorry, right?
Any advice on the best way to treat for bloodsuckers... Permanently? Burning everything to the ground is off the table, I am already quite attached to these three.

 

[krista74]

Can you post a picture by any chance?

The reason I ask is that it could be any number of things causing the marks.

For example, fowl pox can cause small black marks. Also when birds peck at each other they can leave little bloody marks too.

My rooster had little black spots on his comb which I was worried about for ages. It turns out his were from running through low-lying shrubbery! They were just scratch marks!

A picture might help us narrow down the cause.

- Krista

 

[bigbuddha09]

yeah could be a number of things but something that probably wouldnt harm him and might help him heal a bit even would be vaseline. i have been using it on a hen i bought that had scaly legs. has helped her tremendously.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

My new trio of white wyàndotte bantams have some little black pieces, that look very much like blood spots on their combs....

Seeing that you're in Candia I think that your birds are dealing with frost bite.

 

[Pent]

Here are some pics; I forgot to add that the lady I got them from was in the middle of a flock turnover, she was bringing in new birds, and had these guys in a duck barn. I'm currently keeping them in my shed; draft free, and within the shed they have a very well ventilated modified cabinet as temporary quarantine/ raccoon proofing until my new coop is built in spring.
Anyway she advised that I treat them for mites as a precaution. But I don't know if I can still hatch eggs from birds I'm treating for mites?


The hen was a little out of focus, she was harder to get a shot of.

 

[Pent]

Frost bite is certainly possible; I'm in Nova Scotia so the temperature and humidity have been all over the place. For example today it is plus 3 and all the snow is melting, water everywhere, but tomorrow it's going to be -15, then back up to the positives for Sunday... And it's always like this. I do have a light in part of the "coop" to keep things a little more stable, though. Most people don't advise heating coops around here, but they were in a 60degree barn where they came from.

 

[krista74]

They look like peck marks to me, or possibly just scratches. Well, the first one does anyway. The second pic is, as you said, a bit fuzzy to tell

But yes, it looks very similar to my George's shrubbery-scratches.

Treating them for mites and lice as a preventative measure certainly can't hurt them. I do this periodically myself, as a precaution. I like to be proactive, rather than reactive! I guess it would depend on what you use as to the withholding period on eggs (if any.)

I use a dust called Pestene powder and there is no egg withholding on that. Normally the label will advise if there is one.

Best wishes,

- Krista

 

[tandykins]

Mine have the same thing when we're dealing with any pecking order issues in the flock (read: nearly constantly). Pretty sure yours are just pecking wounds. Depending on the time of year, pests such as mosquitoes and horse flies can leave marks similar to those as well. Bloody horse flies are leaving marks on ME like those.

 

[ChickenGal64]

Oh wow! I was just about to post a pic of my chicken that looks like that. I will anyway. Does this look like peck marks because she gets peck A LOT. I think because ber comb is so low...

 

[Theresemarie]

Oh wow! I was just about to post a pic of my chicken that looks like that. I will anyway. Does this look like peck marks because she gets peck A LOT. I think because ber comb is so low...
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Exact same on 2 of mine, they have been vaccinated for fowl pox. I've had them for a few years, the 2 who have these don't roost together. BUT! In the straight run we hatched, there are 3 roosters and they are just turning 4 months. So, perhaps there has been scrapping. I'm separating them now. I am looking to rehome 2, I'm in Los Angeles and they are amazingly beautiful. But the girls with the marks have medicine on them now and they are clearing up...