Scaly sternum?!

[curiositykt]

I have a Golden Wyandotte, 5 years old, normally shaped and sized. She has a weird patch of scaly skin on her sternum.

I've had these chickens since they were a couple of days old, and the golden's developed weird scaly gnarled claws around year 2. I have treated them for scaly mites, I've treated them for other types of mites, I've fully cleaned the coop and area. They continue to have scaly gnarled claws. The other 7 chicken they live with do not have them. Looking at other pictures of old Wyandottes, it looks like this might just be a thing that they do sometimes when they get old, like constantly needing their claws trimmed) The plates of their skin on their toes just don't seem to grow right and it looks like a moderate case of scaly mites (but just on the feet).

That said, I picked one of them up today to clip her claws and her sternum (keel) felt fuzzy like there weren't any outer feathers covering up the downy fluff. I took a closer look (much to her dismay) and found that she had no feathers on the ridge of her sternum (keel), and in fact had scaly plates along the ridge (about 1 cm wide, maybe 10 cm long?)

I didn't notice this issue on her sister (who I trimmed first and wouldn't let me grab her again right away)

The scaly skin didn't feel hot or look red, it just looked like white dry rolled oats. She didn't like me picking at it, and it didn't fall away like it was just something weird she had gotten stuck on her.

I wasn't able to get a picture as I'm home alone right now, but I'll try to attach one later.

She doesn't appear ill, is acting normally and seems in good spirits. I'm mostly just curious what on earth this could be. Poop seems normal. The coop has a dirt floor with pine shavings, the hen house has wood pellets, they have adequate roosting options. No other chickens appear to be affected, but I haven't poked any others closely.

My plan of treatment is to soak the chicken, apply petroleum jelly and see if it comes off. Otherwise, just leave her alone.

 

[coach723]

Pictures would help. What did you treat with for the scaly leg mites and for how long?
The breast bone irritation is probably being caused by her resting and rubbing on the roost. I have a roo that gets like this, larger heavier breeds do it too. I always check feet to make sure there is not a reason they are resting that way, like bumblefoot, then use coconut oil, or plain neosporin ointment. If it gets worse it can become a breast blister. You can also try wrapping the roost in something soft to help stop the rubbing/abrading.

 

[curiositykt]

That would make sense, she's a pretty heavy breed.

In the past I've used soaking the chicken in warm water, followed by gentle scrubbing with a soft bristled brush and then soaking in caster oil. Unfortunately these two chickens are the least interested in being picked up, so it happens pretty irregularly, but it doesn't seem to have the results that others have suggested (scaly parts coming off) The toes look better though so it seems somewhat worth it.

I've also just slathered their feet in petroleum jelly. Which mostly resulted in them getting very dirty since everything sticks to them.

There's no visible mites using any of the techniques for finding mites in the coop or on chickens. I add diatomaceous earth to their preferred dust bathing locations every month.

We have another chicken (a white easter egger) that refuses to keep feathers around her vent, which appears to also not be mites, but could be very sneaky mites, so I try to do as much low-grade mite mitigation as I can manage.

 

[coach723]

I usually use castor oil, I do it every other day for the first week, and then a couple of times a week after that. I just use a soft toothbrush to work it into the scales. I don't try to remove scales, some may fall off on their own, but I leave them be and try not to do more damage. The oil will suffocate the mites, they are microscopic and you won't see them. It can take weeks or months for the scales to look normal again, and I just continue treatment until they do. Any vegetable oil will work, for the thinner oils putting vaseline over it can help keep them covered. Don't worry about the dirt sticking to the oil, it may be unsightly but it doesn't hurt anything. Since you only have one with feather loss on her rear, she may be getting feather picked, often happens while roosting. There are some other suggested treatments for scaly leg mites here:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/scaly-leg-mites-in-chickens/

 

[curiositykt]

Any tips or hints on easy catching of chickens, and getting them to stay put during treatment? These two act like I am trying to murder them. Also any tips for not getting covered in oil?

The main things that keep me from keeping up treatments are knowing that I'm going to need a shower afterward, and a change of clothes. I've contemplated trying to wear a poncho.

 

[curiositykt]

 

[coach723]

For difficult to catch birds, or those that freak out when being held, this is what I do.
Wait until they have gone to roost for the night, they will be easier to catch, calmer, just take them off the roost. Burrito wrap them in a bath towel so they can't flap and hurt you or them, legs will stick out the bottom. Lay them on their back, making sure the towel stays secure, either in your lap or on another surface, which ever works, keeping the head covered will help keep them calm. They may struggle while you flip them over, but usually calm down once they are on their back. Do your treatment, flip them back over, unwrap them and let them go back to the roost. To apply something to the breast, just pull the towel up enough to get to that area. The breast bone does look like rubbing to me, and the scales on the toes look like a mild case of scaly leg mites. She has spurs! None of my hens have them.

 

[curiositykt]

All 4 Wyandottes have quite long spurs, had I trimmed them when they were younger they might not have gotten so long. At this point there's not a whole lot I can do about them, they aren't loose and they aren't straight, so most of the "heat them up and twist" options aren't really options.

I'm pretty sure Wyandottes weren't bred to be kept for 6 years. They each lay maybe 10 eggs a year at this point, but they keep on keeping on, despite free-ranging and various attacks by wild animals. I keep them around because they are funny, and they eat ticks.

Yeah, once I've gotten ahold of them, flipping seems to be the best option. She was pretty calm so long as she was upside down. It is much easier to grab them when they are sleeping. I generally do their nails then. It just doesn't seem to mesh well with the soaking the feet in water part.

 

[coach723]

I wouldn't soak them. Usually that is recommended to remove any build up under the scales and accumulated debris to let the oil get in there (I'm sure you've seen pictures of bad cases). So unless it's severe, or the feet are really dirty, I would just treat with the oil. I only soak prior to the first treatment to get them cleaned up well.

 

[curiositykt]

So I went and checked on them after they had gone to roost and it doesn't look like she's roosting any differently than any of the other birds. They have a 2x4 to roost on, wide side up, and they are all standing on it, and then settling in over their feet. Their sternums are touching their feet, not the roost.