Red Star with Red and Raw Skin, Crispy Feathers

All the roosting bars are clean and smooth wood, square-shaped, around 1" in width
She's a large bird, the 1" width may be too small for her?

A 2x4 must be stepped over to get inside
You mentioned she usually sleeps in the nesting boxes - so she is laying down sleeping that and moving over the 2X4 probably contribute to the worn/broken feathers.

Is Permethrin better or different from DE?
DE is, imho, worthless. It's dirt, very fine and can irritate respiratory systems (yours and theirs). Chickens take dust baths to help decrease external parasite loads, but sometimes they need a little help. Look at your local feed store for a Permethrin based poultry spray or dust. It's safe when you follow directions, it's effective and there is no egg withdrawal.

What do you recommend for treatment of her neck and chest? We would sanitize with soapy water or an iodine solution and apply Vicks or Neosporin ointment.
You can wash her up with soapy water, rinse, dry and use the Neosporin, Vetericyn or Blu Kote.

Any advice for pursuing possible fungal infections.
If she is active, eating/drinking, laying eggs and happy within herself, I would just watch the bare areas for any signs of infection (odor, pus, lethargy, going off feed, etc.)
 
She's a large bird, the 1" width may be too small for her?


You mentioned she usually sleeps in the nesting boxes - so she is laying down sleeping that and moving over the 2X4 probably contribute to the worn/broken feathers.


DE is, imho, worthless. It's dirt, very fine and can irritate respiratory systems (yours and theirs). Chickens take dust baths to help decrease external parasite loads, but sometimes they need a little help. Look at your local feed store for a Permethrin based poultry spray or dust. It's safe when you follow directions, it's effective and there is no egg withdrawal.


You can wash her up with soapy water, rinse, dry and use the Neosporin, Vetericyn or Blu Kote.


If she is active, eating/drinking, laying eggs and happy within herself, I would just watch the bare areas for any signs of infection (odor, pus, lethargy, going off feed, etc.)

Awesome! This should get us back on track. Thank you soo much!
 
Hey Everybody!

By way of an update... our poor little Red Star is still hot to the touch with crispy skin and poor broken crispy feathers. So far we have:
  • Made a very good dust bath with Ash, DE, Sand, Top Soil
  • Coated each bird in DE by hand
  • Expanded roosts to 2x4"s. They LOVE them. :)
  • Made sure that all chickens are roosting at night (no egg box sleeping)
  • Soaked all chickens in Epsom salt baths (+ tea tree oil)
  • Used Vaseline to cover all exposed spots and legs (to smother mites and/or to allow raw spots to heal).
Worse yet... whatever this is... it seems to be starting in on the other chickens. You can see in the pictures below that our Americana is also starting to have feathers break and to have an exposed breast.

Please help!

Thanks in advance for all the help! This community has been wonderful. :)

 
They may have Depluming (Feather) mites. I see what looks like chewed and broken feathers on the backs.

Legs have raised scales as mentioned previously, which would indicated Scaly Leg Mites, have you treated those? https://the-chicken-chick.com/scaly-leg-mites-in-chickens/

DE, imho is not effective if you have an infestation of external parasites. For Poultry Lice and Mites, Permetrhin is the best treatment. IF they do have Depluming mites which feed at the base of feather shafts, a systemic treatment like Ivermectin would be needed. It would be good to have a vet examine some skin scrapings and/or feather shafts to see if there is the loss is due to some type of infection or if it's parasites.
 
Ok! Thank you Wyorp Rock. We are ordering:
  • Permethrin Dust
  • Permethrin Spray (sanitize coop)
  • Ivermectin (liquid form, will administer drops to skin)
  • Can I get a second on the Gasoline dip method from the link above? Seems harsh but if it's a known thing... then we will go for it!
I'll be sure to update after we have given everything its' course. :)
 
Ok! Thank you Wyorp Rock. We are ordering:
  • Permethrin Dust
  • Permethrin Spray (sanitize coop)
  • Ivermectin (liquid form, will administer drops to skin)
  • Can I get a second on the Gasoline dip method from the link above? Seems harsh but if it's a known thing... then we will go for it!
I'll be sure to update after we have given everything its' course. :)

IF you go with Ivermectin, then that should take care of Scaly Leg Mite, Depluming Mites and any other external parasite. I do recommend that you weigh each bird to get the proper dosage administered. This POST has dosing information, pay close attention to where the decimal is. Ivermectin would be repeated in 14days after initial treatment.
It seems to be very effective, but keep in mind, it is not "approved" for use in poultry and there is no concrete timeline for egg withdrawal, do some research and find a period of time you are comfortable with. IF you sell eggs, then you may want to check with your vet to see if they can confirm feather mites before you treat.

Permethrin spray and dust will take care of lice and mites on the body and in your housing.

Personally, I don't have a problem with the Gasoline dip method. Quite a few people have reported it works very well. Old timers used to use gas, kerosene or burnt motor oil. The goal with SLM is to smother them, the A+D ointment would be soothing and healing.

Just another note, if you do use Ivermectin which should take care of the SLM, I would still slather on some type of ointment/oil to help heal and soothe the legs.
 
Ok! Thank you Wyorp Rock. We are ordering:
  • Permethrin Dust
  • Permethrin Spray (sanitize coop)
  • Ivermectin (liquid form, will administer drops to skin)
  • Can I get a second on the Gasoline dip method from the link above? Seems harsh but if it's a known thing... then we will go for it!
I'll be sure to update after we have given everything its' course. :)

Ren is hot and crispy no longer! Two treatments and the new feathers are coming in nicely. Thank you Back Yard Chickens community!
 

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