Very ill chicken - dry flaking skin, feathers falling out, lethargic

[chickwhispers]

Thanks Kathy! you always have such helpful info!!

 

[casportpony]

@morphemass , can you get better pictures of her eyes? This one look like the pupil has an odd shape.



-Kathy

 

[morphemass]

It looks the the mange i treated a guinea pig for. It's caused by a very tiny microscopic almost lice/mite. I used Ivermectin. Are you familiar with it? The first thing is to get her clean up. A bath. and get some Ivermectin Vetricyn and spray on 2 or 3x a day. Start giving the Ivermectin as soon as you can. that's is given orally and works fast and the best. Unfortunately if that is what is you need to thoroughly clean the coop and replace all the liter. Hope this helps! BTw if you look up dosing for Ivermectin on BYC there is a page with the dose on it . I don't have it handy right now.

Thanks for the ideas - I was worried about bathing her since I thought she would get stressed out but she seemed to like it. I used epson salts which I believe is soothing to the skin and will see if I can get a routine with her. I was amazed she didnt run away from the blow drier.

We've tried Ivermectin a few weeks ago, but my wife tells me that she used the topical version (300ug)...in fact I just got the packet and its "Anti-parasite spot on". I'm wondering if we should be looking at giving this (or something similar) orally...? I'm worried about overdosing her though...

We'll give the Vetricyn a try too, sounds good.

 

[chickwhispers]

I hope that works. But I don't know about the eye. Anybody have any other ideas out there? Kathy?

 

[casportpony]

I hope that works. But I don't know about the eye. Anybody have any other ideas out there? Kathy?

If the pupil is not round the bird probably has Marek's which can present in several forms, cutaneous, ocular, visceral and neural. The bruising on the leg is also another sign of cutaneous Marek's.

-Kathy

 

[morphemass]

If the pupil is not round the bird probably has Marek's which can present in several forms, cutaneous, ocular, visceral and neural. The bruising on the leg is also another sign of cutaneous Marek's.

-Kathy

I'll try and get another photo in the morning since I've put her to bed for the night. She IS supposed to have been vaccinated again Mereks so I certainly hope its not that given it costs pennies for the breeders (or so I understand)...

 

[casportpony]

I'm not saying that it is Marek's, but it sure is a possibility.

-Kathy

 

[chickwhispers]

I have to say I've never seen a cutaneous case of Mares or even pictures before. That's awful from the looks of it. I'll be trying to find out more about that. There is so much knowledge on this forum that's awesome!

 

[birdlady79]

Hello, sorry first post and its a "my chickens sick".

Shes been ill for about 3 weeks now and we have gone through all the "basics" treating for lice and mites, worms, coccidiosis etc and she doesn't seem to be getting any better. I started with her back looking a bit wet and her pulling feathers out and then one day she just stopped moving around and would hide in a corner.

We discovered that the reason she isnt running arounds is that she is covered from her thighs up in a thick crusty yellow/white skin and it is just flaking off her. Her thighs are the worst (black and crusted), her back, front, neck, bum, under her wings...everywhere is covered. Even her face has a covering of white poweder flecks and the occasional brown "dot" where we assume its cracked. The only place she doesnt have it is on her exposed legs.

Shes in so much discomfort shes been pulling feathers out around her neck and we *think* that in other areas they are just falling out. When she moves she emits a plume of dust which I had assumed was from my wife doing mite treatment until she told me she had stopped last week!

I've been thinking possibly favus or something other fungal but I am at a loss since it seems so much more extreme and extensive than I had read favus was. The only positive is that she is eating (although her poo has been runny and turned green today!)

I'll get some photos up later, but has anyone any suggestions/ideas of what it might be and how to treat it?

How is your Hen doing?

 

[subhanalah]

It does look like a dog I had taken into rescue that had a severe fungal infection.
I'm eager to hear what happened with your girl.