New to Chickens, think I may have a few serious problems

[tri1sam]

So this is my first time ever having chickens. I started with two that I found in the woods hiking locked in a cat carrier. Then a few days later while trying to locate a pen for them a neighbor was moving and offeren me her pens/ Serama chickens and 2 Roosters. The pens were disgusting and to say the least the little guys are in a much better place now that they have someone that cares looking after them.

My concern is a few things.

1.First I think they may have fowl pox. (Flockwide) I've noticed a lot of black marks on combs ranging from little dots to large oval-shaped spots.

2. On my Rhode Island Red hen her comb is orangish and folded over. Also her feathers especially on her back side are kind of mangy looking. Parasite of some sorts?

3.The Seramas are having a lot of feather issues as well. On rooster has lost all feathers on the front of his neck and the skin is VERY red. Another hen has lost neck and chest feathers but displays no signs of being broody and another has a wing where you can see the vertical bases of her feathers because she's lost the horizontal ones that would usual be there to cover that up.

4. On the Easter egger rooster his feet seem to be very scaley and one back talon looks almost like it has crustations growing on it.

5. Both large roosters have a lot of black on their comb and beak.

I've attached a bunch of photos. Any info would be much appreciated as I'm completely new to this.

 

[QueenMisha]

1. Could be fowl pox. Scabby combs in a few birds aren't uncommon, since it's a large, unprotected, fleshy flap hanging off the top of their head, but if you are seeing it in every bird, it's probably fowl pox. Which is fine news. Fowl pox in it's dry form is hardly a worry at all - the combs will scab, it will blow over within a few weeks or months, and all will become immune to future outbreaks.

2. That is not a Rhode Island Red. I'm not sure what it is, possibly a mutt. However, the comb looks quite normal. In some breeds, a hen's comb is bred to be so large it flops down. This is usually seen in egg laying breeds, which tend to have large combs - large combs and laying ability have been linked in some scientific studies.

3. You have both some feather-picking and some rooster burn going on, possibly a bit of hard molting as well, since it's the right season for it. Feather picking is treated by applying anti-pick lotion to the victims, and removing the bullies. The bullies should be kept somewhere they cannot see or interact with the flock, and reintroduced one at a time after a week or more of isolation. Rooster burn (feather loss due to clumsy/aggressive maters) is dealt with by acquiring more hens, rehoming some roosters, or purchasing hen saddles for the affected females. Molting will resolve itself, though a higher protein feed helps the birds along.

4. While some roosters simply have ugly feet, it looks like yours have an issue known as Scaley Leg Mite. The natural treatment is application of olive oil once a day for a few days. If that fails, dip the legs in gasoline and allow to air-dry, repeat every few days. Check your other bird's feet as well, as the bugs can spread from one bird to another.

5. Black beaks are a normal pigmentation.

 

[tri1sam]

Thank you so much I really appreciate the help!

 

[Toddrick]

I was thinking the same stuff QM already stated. Doesn't sound like any major problems. But the scales leg mites need treated, and I suspect all the birds need dusted with Sevin or Permethrin.

 

[tri1sam]

****UPDATE****

The roster with scaly leg mites threw up a clearish white substance today and the other one has started either coughing or sneezing I can't really tell, and it seems like he's kinda clearing his throat a bunch. Does that mean he has wet fowl pox? And if so is it possible for chickens to have wet and dry fowl pox simultaneously?

Also I know you said to put olive oil on his feet but that's easier said than done. The guys are all rescues and although none of them are mean or violent I doubt that they have ever had much human contact and at this point they won't really let me touch them. Any ideas on how to help him out?

 

[QueenMisha]

****UPDATE****

The roster with scaly leg mites threw up a clearish white substance today and the other one has started either coughing or sneezing I can't really tell, and it seems like he's kinda clearing his throat a bunch. Does that mean he has wet fowl pox? And if so is it possible for chickens to have wet and dry fowl pox simultaneously?

Also I know you said to put olive oil on his feet but that's easier said than done. The guys are all rescues and although none of them are mean or violent I doubt that they have ever had much human contact and at this point they won't really let me touch them. Any ideas on how to help him out?

How clear was the liquid? Did it contain anything or was it just fluid? What was he doing at the time? Had he been handled recently? Was it a hot day? Did he have anything in his crop?

You need to separate the sick bird immediately. He needs to be quarantined somewhere that his dust and bodily fluids cannot have contact with the rest of the flock. Unfortunately wet fowl pox is a respiratory disease, so although it's most likely possible for the bird to become infected with both types simultaneously, it's also nearly impossible to determine which of the many, nearly identical respiratory diseases he actually has (or if it's just a completely different, non-contagious environmental/internal issue). You need to watch him very carefully. What kind of noise is he making? Is it a cough, a sneeze, a gasp, a rattle, a gurgle, a wheeze, or something else? Are his eyes watery, inflamed, swollen, frothing, or otherwise abnormal? Are his comb, wattles, and facial tissue swollen or inflamed, and is the color normal, pale, or dark? Are his droppings of an unusual color or substance? How's he feeling? Are any of the other birds displaying symptoms?

If you can't do olive oil, go for gasoline. It needs to be applied less frequently and takes less effort. And although I always mention olive oil as a treatment because there are many people who would rather attempt the natural cure first before going for something so harsh as gasoline, I can see no reason why gasoline should harm or negatively impact the bird, and it will be more effective than olive oil.