what could this be? photos included.

[NightsInWhiteSilkies]

I recently had a spell of capalliria worms which I gave them all safeguard and am waiting to give them their second dose but will use valzaban instead.
This morning I was petting one of my silkies and was looking her over to make sure no bugs were on her.
I was rubbing her belly and noticed a spot of feathers missing so looked closer and her entire chest from about 3-4 inches in length to about 2-3 inches in width is fully bald.
I was looking her over for any bugs and there are none visible at all anywhere on her. Can this be from the capillaria worms that did this to her?
Im wondering if this can infect the other birds and what could it be?
What would I use to treat it?
Thankyou for any suggestions you might have!

 

[86121]

is she broody? I know my silkie will pull her feathers from her chest when she decides shes ready to set on eggs?

 

[NightsInWhiteSilkies]

I know she lays her eggs but wont sit on them at all. In fact I still have one sitting there from in the evening she laid but didnt pick it up this am and she was walking around and not interested in it.
But thats really good to know they will do that if they go broody. Wow. Thankyou!

 

[86121]

I know she lays her eggs but wont sit on them at all. In fact I still have one sitting there from in the evening she laid but didnt pick it up this am and she was walking around and not interested in it.
But thats really good to know they will do that if they go broody. Wow. Thankyou!

Hmm...Then could she be stressed at all? It does not look like she is having them ripped out by anyone...Perhaps lice/mites?

 

[NightsInWhiteSilkies]

Ive looked her over and there is no bugs of any sort on her. im going to treat all of them just in case with 7. i use de in the coop regularly but recently switched the coop from pine shavings to sand and didnt put any in there but that was just yesterday from switching it over to sand.

 

[86121]

Ive looked her over and there is no bugs of any sort on her. im going to treat all of them just in case with 7. i use de in the coop regularly but recently switched the coop from pine shavings to sand and didnt put any in there but that was just yesterday from switching it over to sand.

Hmm...
Wow, what a girl, shes got me stummped to lol. She looks fat and happy from the picture's you have provided so cant be stress, she looks clean...
Here are a few links I found that may be helpful,
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/973/feather-loss-in-chickens
http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/library/lvstk2/mf2308.pdf
http://www.plamondon.com/faq_healthcare.html

I dont think its anything to be worried to much about unless she looses all of her feathers, then I would be worried.
I think if you just keep an eye on her, make sure shes eating and still laying, not scratching or picking or anything, then she should be good. Ill keep my fingers crossed for you!

 

[NightsInWhiteSilkies]

My only concern is yesterday I noticed her which she is a silkie and two polish were all just scratching away and picking around their neck and body area. I thought it was unusual and thought maybe they were overly preening themselves.
Im going to look at those other links you posted. Thankyou very much for your help!

Another question for you...

NOne of them will dust bath. Ive put them in their dust bath area and its sand and they act like they have no clue what it is so I sprinkle it on them and rub it around them under their wings and all areas. Could this be from them not dust bathing?
Ive caught the two polish rolling around in the dirt occassionally but the silkies have never dust bathed so I do it for them.

 

[86121]

My only concern is yesterday I noticed her which she is a silkie and two polish were all just scratching away and picking around their neck and body area. I thought it was unusual and thought maybe they were overly preening themselves.
Im going to look at those other links you posted. Thankyou very much for your help!

Another question for you...

NOne of them will dust bath. Ive put them in their dust bath area and its sand and they act like they have no clue what it is so I sprinkle it on them and rub it around them under their wings and all areas. Could this be from them not dust bathing?
Ive caught the two polish rolling around in the dirt occassionally but the silkies have never dust bathed so I do it for them.

Hmm. Maybe dusting will be a good idea!
Well Silkies can be a bit thick sometimes, mine only dustbath when the others show them how so it very well just might be its because there top hatted breeds?

 

[NightsInWhiteSilkies]

I emailed the woman who I bought my silkies off of and she is a wonderful woman on here named Kelar who breeds show quality silkies this morning. Heck I emailed probably about 5 people this morning in a panic. haha.
I wanted to post her reply to it in case other silkies owners are new like I am with raising silkies.
I had made an appt with my aviary vet but after getting Kelar's email Ive since feel releived hearing what she had to say and cancelled the appt.
She mentioned pretty much what you mentioned on here to me with some of the things but I found it interesting how silkies molt if this is what she could be starting to do...
Thankyou very much for your help this morning Whitewinterwolf. I appreciated it very much. It seems with birds if its not one thing its another and it can be so stressful when it happens as I am still learning so much and its panic fast when there is something wrong trying to get the answers to treat it quickly. Ive had some issues with another bird and then seeing this was a bit too much for me this morning but thankyou for your help!

.here was her email to me.....


I would not bother taking her to the vet - it would be money spent for nothing. First off, be sure and get the Adams Flea and Tick plus spray and treat all the birds to make sure they don't have irritation from externl parasites. Second, this is very common with silkies - they seem to rub off the feathers on their chests when they are laying, just from irritation of sitting in the bedding, possibly from starting to go broody OR she is starting to molt. Silkies generally do not molt all at once like other birds - they lose a few feathers at a time continually. The skin does not look raw or irritated - I see this all the time & it is absoutely nothing to worry about so long as you make sure to treat them with the adams and rule out external parasites. Let me know if anything changes.

 

[86121]

I emailed the woman who I bought my silkies off of and she is a wonderful woman on here named Kelar who breeds show quality silkies this morning. Heck I emailed probably about 5 people this morning in a panic. haha.
I wanted to post her reply to it in case other silkies owners are new like I am with raising silkies.
I had made an appt with my aviary vet but after getting Kelar's email Ive since feel releived hearing what she had to say and cancelled the appt.
She mentioned pretty much what you mentioned on here to me with some of the things but I found it interesting how silkies molt if this is what she could be starting to do...
Thankyou very much for your help this morning Whitewinterwolf. I appreciated it very much. It seems with birds if its not one thing its another and it can be so stressful when it happens as I am still learning so much and its panic fast when there is something wrong trying to get the answers to treat it quickly. Ive had some issues with another bird and then seeing this was a bit too much for me this morning but thankyou for your help!

.here was her email to me.....


I would not bother taking her to the vet - it would be money spent for nothing. First off, be sure and get the Adams Flea and Tick plus spray and treat all the birds to make sure they don't have irritation from externl parasites. Second, this is very common with silkies - they seem to rub off the feathers on their chests when they are laying, just from irritation of sitting in the bedding, possibly from starting to go broody OR she is starting to molt. Silkies generally do not molt all at once like other birds - they lose a few feathers at a time continually. The skin does not look raw or irritated - I see this all the time & it is absoutely nothing to worry about so long as you make sure to treat them with the adams and rule out external parasites. Let me know if anything changes.

Oh very good!
Glad to see its nothing serious