What's wrong with her face?!

[chuckachucka]

OK I need some expert opinions/advice here. I have a bearded Polish pullet, approx 8 months old, with a skin problem. It's been going on for quite a while now, almost two months.

At first it presented as a small wound on one side of her face, which I thought was a result of being pecked. It was bleeding a tiny bit and swollen. So I isolated her and bandaged her foot on that side so she couldn't scratch at it (nothing seemed to work in covering the actual wound on face). When after a week she scratched off the scab and the swelling got worse, I treated her with antibiotics for a week.

It seemed to improve as the scab healed again BUT she continued to scratch it. She developed a bald patch from the scratching. So i treated her for mites with ivermectin for the stated three weeks. I was thinking maybe scaly face mites?

It SEEMED to improve after the ivermectin but now I have noticed she is STILL scratching and the scratching is definitely getting more often. I realise now that the whole issue started because she has been scratching it, but the mystery is WHY is it so itchy?

Does anyone have any idea what is going on here? It is only affecting one side of her face and none of my other chickens have any problems.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you see any evidence of mites or lice anywhere on her body, especially under the vent, wings, and around her neck?

It looks like she has had those feathers picked out by another chicken, or the scratching has made it bare. I would try some Nustock cream or a menthol ointment on the skin, to hopefully soothe, but don’t get it in her eye. Even some plain neosporin until you get one of those others might help if there are mites. You might want to check her ear with a QTip as well in case of mites or fungus in her ear.

 

[chuckachucka]

No evidence of mites on her body and it is definitely the scratching that has caused the feather loss. I haven't checked her ears though so I will do that. Apart from mites, is there anything else that could cause the extreme itching she seems to have? The fact that it is only on one side of her fcce has always seemed strange to me too.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would just try something that might soothe her—menthol is very good at helping itching skin. Products like generic menthol ointment, BenGay, even Vicks may help. I have had chickens stand around and let another peck out feathers around the face, neck, and elsewhere, even on the roost in the evenings. Chronic scratching of skin can make it itch more, and cause infection.

 

[chuckachucka]

I have vicks so I will try some tomorrow. Thanks for the ideas!