Sick chicken or normal

[scoobyloula]

Hi All

Newbie here. Wish I wasn't posting about this though

One of our Bantams over the last few weeks is losing all her feathers. She is eating fine but I'm not sure if this is normal or not. We have two more younger ones but they are fine.

She also looks a little pale, has a bit what looks like a tiny bit of white mould on her innerlid and on one side of her beak what looks like a scab!

Here are some piccies. Can get better ones if needed but also looks like someone has gone round and snapped her feathers off.

 

[boskelli1571]

I think maybe she's molting -how old is she? Not sure about the scab thing, keep it clean & dry. You can apply some antibiotic ointment if you wish. If she's pale, add more protein to her diet, molting really debilitates a bird. Also don't forget oyster shell or recycled egg shells, Sue

 

[dawg53]

Losing feathers usually means she's going into molt at this time of the year and also if she's over about a year old, their combs/wattles may turn pale and shrivel...this is normal. Otherwise if it's not molt, lice can cause feather loss. You can see lice crawling on or through feathers, they are tiny and white/off white in color. Look closely at the "white mold" and see if they are lice eggs. Visually check her vent area as well.
As far as the scab goes, she couldve been pecked by another bird or an injury of some type. Just in case though, look inside her mouth for lesions. If there arnt any, I wouldnt worry about it.

 

[scoobyloula]

Ah ok she is just over a year old.

She is my baby and this is the first time we have kept bantams so want to ensure she is ok.

She is eating fine and seems ok in herself. She just looks very unkept at the mo!

 

[luvmigrls]

This is an awesome community for help and info. Yea, seems like they could find a better time of the year to molt.

 

[casportpony]

Monitor her weight by weighing her on a kitchen or postal scale and check the inside of her mouth for pus/plaque.

-Kathy

 

[scoobyloula]

Hi Kathy

What could that indicate if we find such a thing in her mouth?

BTW thanks for all the help so far, really appreciate it.

 

[casportpony]

Hi Kathy

What could that indicate if we find such a thing in her mouth?

BTW thanks for all the help so far, really appreciate it.

If you found something like that I would be suspicious of wet fowl pox, canker or a bacterial infection.

-Kathy

 

[Eggcessive]

Could you post a close-up of her face where the scab on the beak and spot on the eyelid are? I agree that she may be molting. Click on this link for pictures of lice and mites: http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8162.pdf

 

[scoobyloula]

Hiya

I have looked for mites but haven't seen any.

I will get a close up pic of her beak and eye tomorrow.

Thanks for all your help and advice.