What's wrong with my butt? It is a Staph infection!

[Miss Lydia]

Oh okay, let us know if the fungus cream works.

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

When I went to put the cream it appeared to be not as bad but I had already applied vasoline after the bath to soften it up. I could not see very well as it was getting dark. She is such a sweet and pretty girl I feel so bad for not asking earlier I just thought it was from loosing so many feathers.
If anyone has a clue what I am dealing with let me know.
Thanks for taking your time to look and help.

 

[CityGal / CountryWorld]

Looks just like the example picture of lice infestation from my "avoid the vet" book.
(from Practical poultry) isbn#074470241959
it says to treat for lice on ALL birds in the flock they can re-infest each other,
you should probably clean out the coop and then when you add new litter, also
add food grade diatamaceous earth (feels like razor blades to tiny bugs) they are probably
in the nests. when you apply the dust you have to ruffle the feathers to get it down to the skin.
And repeat the treatment to kill any eggs that aren't hatched yet. The book suggests a
"dust bathing facility" basically a small chicken size tub with dust and sand and a bit of
insecticidal powder, so the chickens can treat themselves.

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

I appreciate the replies but it's not lice. I use DE in food and in the coop. I do regular checks for lice. Maybe the pics do not are not showing exactly what I am looking at clear enough. I will try and take better pics tomorrow. Or take a pic of the stuff I pick off. This is some kind of fungus or something with the feather shaft.

 

[ultasol]

To identify if it is lice eggs a picture of her dry would be in order, but it doesn't look like it to me. I know she was recently treated with ivermectin when shipped. Could it be poop around her butt? Does it appear to be bothering her? Also, check her crest. If it is mites the egg clusters are more frequently found in the crest on silkies, before it becomes that bad elsewhere.

I do not believe DE is sufficient as a lice treatment. Another reason to be careful with DE is it is very harmful to the lungs of animals or people when inhaled, which is a concern for me when it is used in dust baths. Unlike normal dust particles, part of what makes DE useful is it's abrasiveness. Just think, these sharp little grains cause cuts and scratches in an insect's hard exoskeleton. This is how DE kills, the insect dehydrates and dies when the exoskeleton is breached.

Imagine that inside the lungs.

Also, since it requires direct contact with the insect moving over it, I am concerned it is not as effective for mites or lice as people assume. Is it appropriate when you never see lice or mites? Yes. Is it appropriate as supportive treatment after treating a lice or mite infestation? Yes. Is it good as a SOLE treatment for a silkie with lice or mites? I say no. Based on my experience with silkies, DE alone is not a lice or mite management or treatment program in and of itself. Used in conjunction with a program that rotates through the use of chemicals such as sevin, ivermectin, frontline spray, permethrin, etc it probably does extend the amount of time needed between treatments.

Do I occasionally see mites or lice? Yes, it happens. Lice get carried around on wild birds, get picked up at shows, escape the most recent chemical or non-chemical treatment, and I keep an eye out for them. If a bird has gotten to the point where there are any egg clusters, I give them a flea bath (adams flea shampoo).

Silkies are more prone than any of the other breeds I have experience with- more susceptible than polish, welsummers, cochins, wyandottes, sex links, etc. The lice seem to just LOVE the crest, and they are easily seen around the vent.

They almost look like scabs, not eggs, from irritated skin which could be from lice, mites, or something she is sitting on or coming into contact with in her environment. Do they peel off of her skin? If she is a good health and weight, I would give her a flea bath and check her again in a couple of days. I would also take note of any products (deodorizing, DE, etc) that I use in her pen... are there any grooming products you are using that she might be sensitive to?

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

I will try and take a pic of her bottom dry today but I have lots going on today. Not poop, not lice, not bothering her at all. No lice anywhere she is a very sweet baby and will let me check without any kind of fight.

I use DE for many things but for lice I have Ivermectin and seven dust. I have a closed flock and no one (chickens) has been off property in 2 mths. And NOBODY goes inside the coop except myself. When I bathed her yesterday I did use flea shampoo I let her soak for about 10 mins trying to loosen the stuff up. Which it did.

The gook is very flaky and has the consistency of almost wax like. Like I said when the tape got stuck to her bottom she lost a lot of feathers and I assumed it was due to all the feathers in that one area growing back. But it has not gotten better with time or my picking it off. After her bath yesterday I applied vasoline not sure why but I did not know what else to put on it. I later thought fungus and went to get fungus cream from the store and when I went to apply that her bottom did look better but it was getting dark and hard to see. I plan to check her again in about 2 hours when the sun comes up. No other chickens have anything like this going on. I will treat the whole coop for lice since I am itching now talking about it.

How are things with you Jen? Edward is doing great. He is fine tuning his crow but since I sold the other blue boy he really does not get all worked up like he used to. Gaga well she may be a boy. Not 100% sure just yet I have a thread going on over on what gender, breed is this board. If you would like to give it a go. I really have had a hard time sexing showgirls due to the lack of feathers on the neck. I have gotten several responses going both ways but mostly from non SG people. My friends are coming by today and I will see what they think. She is beautiful either way. And Bells just has the sweetest personality. She has not grown much so I expect her to stay small and will be perfect for Edward since his body is a bit long. Her color is awesome love the tiny beak and no way I could have gotten a fluffier chicken. I just love her. Gaga has never been a very sweet chicken and is very bull headed she does what she wants when she wants and to whom she wants to do it to. Hence the name Gaga. Well the hair do helped her get her name as well.

Thanks for the responses I really do appreciate the time everyone has taken to look at my girls butt.

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[tammye]

am I seeing left over duct tape? looks like grey areas on the skin, just the photo or is there still tape on her? i have heard of using duct tape to prevent feather plucking. could this be the glue from the tape drying on the feather shafts? duct tape is a bear to remove. I think the warm baths are a good idea and they do like it. look up vent gleet in the search engine to see if this is what it could be, that is due to a fungus

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

Thank you Tammy! No there is no left over tape. It may not be vent gleet as I can not find a photo but we are on the right track. I offered yogurt but the litte turd would not eat it I will give pro bios with eggs soon as they boil. I am currently treating with anit fungal meds. I already have seen improvment since yesterday. I will keep this treatment up while researching the vent gleet. It is either a fungus or yeast. I was researching feather shafts ignoring the fact that the gook is centered around the vent duh!

Thanks again.
Tisha

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[Miss Lydia]

Do you offer ACV in their water? suppose to help with the vent gleet if that could be it. I use ACV one day and oxine the next for my flock of chickens and ducks.

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

Miss Lydia I usually do but have slacked off since the waterers are freezing over night. I will add some today and do Oxine in a few days. I feel so stupid. I could have resolved this long time ago. But she does not act like it bothers her at and all never has.