Weird armpit mites and no weight on hen

[Tacampbell73]

Seems like I only jump on now when I'm stumped but this one's got me scratching my head, literally. As mentioned I have an I think about 4 year old Cochin hen who is a smooth coated frizzle. Her siblings all got the frizz, she and two others got the le. I don't really do to much handling of her and her two sisters save feed water and clean barn. They are always super healthy and don't particularly enjoy being picked up, so i humor them. Last week I noticed Foznie (originally Fonzie until realized she was a hen) she was stand offish. Usually that signals eggbound so I grabbed her to take inside for observation. To my absolute horror she weighed nothing. Upon weighing her she barely was a pound. I looked her over for mites on her vent because usually when my birds get mites I can tell as soon as I pick them up. No mites on vent but I'm positive she has them. I search for the telltale nits. Last place I look is under her wings
Immediately I smell a putrid sickly smell and notice both underarms are brownish and matted as if they got we t and dried stiff. Bathed her in the critter shampoo, blow dry and start digging. No wounded to cause the smell so it's whatever this brown crud is. Trimmed it off. Applied Miconazel to quell possible yeast overgrowth. I'm convinced all her systems are related and caused by serious mite infestation. I've dealt with the icky things often but never have I seen it like this. Enclosed is the best photo I could get

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Looks like matted feathers with debris and whatever else. If under the wing that can collect moisture, so you may be right it could be a fungal or yeast type infection along with mites or lice.

If the smell is still there, you can want to flush well with chlorhexidine, then dry well.

For mites, Permethrin based poultry dust or spray applied in 5 day intervals can help, but housing/nesting boxes, etc., also need to be treated and cleaned out in 5 days intervals as well since most mites live in the housing.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would clean the area with chlorhexidene or Betadine a few times. It may be a skin infection and those would treat either a bacterial or fungus. Maybe she got an injury or scratched it initially. If it stinks, it is infected.

 

[Tacampbell73]

Hello and thank you both. I've been "chickening" for over a decade and a member of BYC since biblical times so mites are no stranger to me.yuck. I kinda thought yeast overgrowth as my 2 Polish roos had enormous crests which if I didn't clean under regularly would turn into a god awful stinking, festering nightmare. Followup on hen, Fosnie, I now see a huge abscess on right cheek which would account for her "fowl" breath. Hot soaking several times but it's clearly become a systemic infection. I'm starting her on antibiotics as soon as I calculate dosage. Thank you again for taking the time to respond. Like everyone here, my feathered kids are part of my family

 

[Tacampbell73]

Update on Fosnie,
The plot thickens. Unbeknownst to me she had started an abscess inside her mouth. Not sure how but it is there . The armpit thing was a secondary problem. As she sleeps with head tucked under wing her abscess was leaking leading to the stomach turning funk. I immediately took a different course of action. As the abscess is partially inside her mouth I first rinsed her mouth with Peroxide but just once.I started on Tylan once a day and still hot packing several times a day. Her face is bulging so it looks like she just had dental wor. I think she is responding to treatment but I'm not sure if can give two doses of Tylan one am two pm. As she, like most birds, hid how sick she was I haven't any idea how long this has been going on. The abscess isn't fluctuant , however I have been pressing firmly to check. Her mouth gets mucosa so I swipe it out with a q-tip. Hardly eating but has an appetite. I've been giving her broth with medicated chick starter but she drinks water of her own accord. This causes her to choke so I pray she isn't aspirating it. Am I missing anything?!

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you have any pictures of her eye and cheek, and the inside of her beak? Could she have canker? Is her eye gunky? Are you using any eye ointment?

 

[Tacampbell73]

her eye does not seem affected. This Pic is just before I am cleaning her up.i just got home from town and her cheek appears to be draining.

 

[Tacampbell73]

I got the tylan dosage from online the woman has chickens and appears to be fairly knowledgeable. Her dosage was 1/4 ml per 3 pounds. Problem is Fos is 1 lb. She's lost so much weight it's terrifying. I have been giving Fosnie .5 mil and as I see it written I realize I'm probably giving her wayyy to much. However she is responding nicely though. I think maybe that dose once a d ay? She's starving so I've been pushing beef broth and chicken starter . I would have gone injectable but my poor bird has got zero fat to .aim for. Thank you for your sage wisdom

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I hope your hen gets better!