Violently scratching at head??????????

[dawg53]

It's always a difficult decision to make. I've done my share...it seems it's always my favorites too.

 

[Reurra]

Well, I treated him again with oil.

Should I be seeing immediate results? Or does the oil take time????

I put him in the brooder and about 5 minutes later he was back to scratching.

He used to have seizures as a chick, but they are gone now.

I looked him over real good and cant find any kind of mite. Ive powdered him twice with sevin over the last couple of days.

He still squinches up his eyes and scratches like something is biting the back of his head.

I wish i knew more about chicken disorders. But Stumpy has always had some sort of problem or another. Hes got the squirts now too. His vent feathers are caked with dried poo. Though his vent looks fine, nice and whitish pink, no inflamed areas.

 

[dawg53]

Look closely in his eyes and see if you see a very thin whittish in color worm no more than 1/4" long, possibly "swimming" in the eye or in the corners of the eye.

 

[Reurra]

I used a flashlight, which he didnt like at all. At first I thought i saw something but it turned out to be the reflection of my finger

Nothing in they eye, his eyes are very very clear. they are greenish gold in color.

 

[dawg53]

The tiny red bump that looked like a pinprick...I'm wondering if some type of fly, like a bot fly laid eggs in that tiny hole. The maggot(s) possibly causing him to continually scratch.

 

[Reurra]

I thought that too, but we dont ahve any type of fly like that that Im aware of.

Now Im scratching!! I know what bot flies are!! ewwwwwwwwwwwwww.......But no, I have not seen any maggots or any kind of parasite. The tip of the bump was hard and prickly and raised. It was a very very tiny bump. It looked like one of his tiny facial feathers had broken off and the follicle was sticking out and hard, like a little cactus pin.

I cant find it now, but the skin is all deep red and looks scratched open. Ive been applying triple antibiotic to keep away infection. Hes honking now. He arches his neck and closes his eyes and starts scratching. I did try touching his ears and he closed his eyes and shook his head. I dont know if thats normal or a sign that his ears are the problem or just a result of the oil..

 

[dawg53]

Have you checked inside his mouth for any abnormalties such as lesions, swelling, blood etc...? Also, has he been eating and drinking normally?

 

[Reurra]

I forgot to mention, none of my other birds have shown any type of symptoms like this.

 

[Reurra]

He has been eating normally, in fact i wanted to test his appetite so I offered him a few bites of regular white break, he gobbled it down. but this morning he didnt eat as many crumbles from his wet dish as he usually does.

Ill try to check his mouth now.

 

[Reurra]

Nothing in the mouth, its light pink and healthy.