Please help! Hens face turned white, flaking skin, another dead

[beccamae421]

I had two hens yesterday that appeared to be be ill. One didn't make it through the night. I am hoping to save the other, but I don't know what is wrong. Her face is covered in white "fungus"(?), neck skin is dry and flaky and she doesn't have her usual perky look. No signs of mites or lice, but I don't know if I'd be able to tell. No diarrhea...poop looks normal. She's somewhat lethargic, sits in the corner of the run facing out most of the day. I had 3 hens. The one that died yesterday had the flaky skin too, was very lethargic and dull-looking. The third one appears to be perfectly healthy. I just introduced 6 babies to the group so I really want to figure this out so I can make sure I am keeping them healthy. She is now quarantined. I appreciate any and all help!

 

[336White Phoenix]

Any pics

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yes, I would separate any sick birds. I would also clean out and disinfect the coop for the young birds.
What state are you in?
The only way to know for sure what killed the bird and how to proceed is with a necropsy at your state poultry lab.

 

[beccamae421]

 

[beccamae421]

This one is better.

 

[Eggcessive]

The white patches could be favus, a fungal infection. It can be treated with Lotrimin (clotrimazole) or miconazole (Monistat) creams. Other antifungals can be used as well, such as Tinactin (tolnaftate.) Use gloves when treating a fungus.

I would really look hard for mites or lice as well, since lice eggs can be white.

It can be hard to tell what your hen died from and what is making the other so ill. Check their crops for any crop problems, offer some wet chicken feed and chopped egg, give a few drops of Poultry NutriDrench daily, and fell for any enlargement of the lower belly between the legs. Were either of these 2 hens laying eggs recently? How old are/were they?

 

[beccamae421]

Neither have been laying eggs recently. The hen who died yesterday was 7 and the other is 8. I did offer her scrambled egg and mash this morning. She seemed to like the egg some. I just checked and her crop feels soft. I don't feel anything remarkable about her belly. I also looked again for signs of lice or mites as this was my first suspicion and cannot find any. Is there a better way or time to see the buggers? The other sick one had stopped going into the coop at night about 3 weeks ago. About a week after that, this one started doing the same. I keep reading this may be a sign they are being eaten by bugs. This is a brand new coop! Could this be related to stress from moving to a new coop making them vulnerable to lice? The 3rd hen doesn't seem affected.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

One type of mite lives on the bird and can be seen around the vent and under wings. The roost mite lives in cracks and crevices in the coop and only gets on the bird at night. Go out with a helper a few hours after dusk with a bright flashlight and examine the birds for them.

 

[beccamae421]

Thank you. I did check her vent and underwings earlier and didn't see anything suspicious. I will inspect the coop tonight after dark. Does the flaky skin seem more lice- or mite-related? The one that died yesterday didn't have the white face, but did have the flaky skin. Would it hurt to treat for lice or mites anyway?

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a good link with pictures and tips for locating lice and mites: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

They are pretty old chickens, so if it is a fungal infection on their faces, it may just be an additional problem from being ill and run down.