sandyhas3chucks Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I "think " that the neem oil has sorted mine, but a bit early to say I think. the red bits on the worst are no longer.. the others just losing feather, sort of snapped off! Wonder if they came with these as they had tho other "vistors"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodcat Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 hey after having a bit of a debate with myself i've tried bathing with flowers of sulfer on my balding chicken and so far it does seem to have helped. The first time the skin went from the sort of red that looks like it's blood to a normal chicken skin colour. It started to get redder again after an hour but not up to the level it did before. I then did it again about two days later when the redness was building back up and it toned it down again. It's too early to say if it's going to help the feather regrowth but it does seem to be helping. I'm getting a bit desperate with my girl simply becuase she makes most exbates seem to be well feathered. The other slight odd thing is that bathing my girl isn't difficult at all the minute that she goes in the water she just stands there and lets me do it and she isn't the most cuddly or friendly normally. It seems to relax her alot. Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 mine was similar.... I hasd to bath her (a long story) and she also just stood, and she also likes handling least. I wonder if it is soothing and they didn't like being handled cos theyfelt itchy or sore. I too redid the neem after she got red again and it seems to have calmed again! intersting eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 This is the first time in 4 years that I have seen depluming mite discussed at such length, perhaps it's a bad year for it? Mine too sound just the same. I thought it was a mixture of some moulting & some feather eating, but I've seen those before & this seems different. Has anyone definitely found the flowers of sulphur bathing effective? Also, how do you use this on balding heads & necks? It's going to be fun treating 10, but I think it must be this. I've found the whitestars plucking at the P.P.'s breast & they just stand there & let them. I wonder if they are trying to help, not just feather eating, it looks willing, not bullying. No sign of visible creatures, I think it's depluming mite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Well I already have sulphur powder for the garden. I assume it is the same thing - perhaps not as finely ground or fit for consumption? After all sulphur is always the same - I wonder if it will suffice or whether it has other things added to it. I tried to go through with buying from Morgans, but the computer kept cutting out - each time! The girls do like chilling out under the clubhouse - it is now down to dirt - no grass left. So I am going to stalisan it under there tonight. There's a rhododendron there too, so I might just sprinkle the sulphur powder instead - the rhodie will love that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GillC Posted August 3, 2009 Author Share Posted August 3, 2009 Still awaiting signs of improvement. I've done a google search on depluming feather mite. The advice is often to "isolate the affected bird" which is difficult when you have only one eglu . Odd that it doesn't appear to have spread to the other hens tho. The Merck Veterinary manual http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/204712.htm recommended that "Affected birds should be isolated and treated with ivermectin." However this very long and interesting thread from poultrychat in 2005 http://www.poultrychat.com/vb/showthread.php?t=46 describes how ivermectin was prescribed by a vet yet didn't seem to work. Reading through the 4 pages was very interesting and seemed to suggest: bathing in flowers of sulpher dog shampoo containing pyrethrum nippon ant powder because it contains pyrethrum There is quite a lot of detail about pyrethrum and permethrin (man-made copy of pyrethrum) both in the original post and subsequent posts, and it sounds like it might help so I think I'll give it a try. It has to be better than watching my poor chicken get worse. The detailed descriptions of how the depluming feather mite burrows into the skin of the chicken at the base of the feathers irritating them, making the skin turn red and causing the chicken to pull her own feathers out seemed to explain how my chicken looks. I feel rather bad that I've assumed that it was moulting for all this time, but I hope to turn things around before winter. Has anybody succeeded in curing this problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 That's really interesting GillC. Mine were dosed about a fortnight ago with the invermectin, and it certainly hasn't made any difference at all. I have the anti mite spray which has the pyrethrum - but that hasn't made much difference either - tried it earlier, although it might be a bit too soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 ..... bathing in flowers of sulpher dog shampoo containing pyrethrum nippon ant powder because it contains pyrethrum There is quite a lot of detail about pyrethrum and permethrin (man-made copy of pyrethrum) both in the original post and subsequent posts, and it sounds like it might help so I think I'll give it a try.... Yes, I've been reading that site too. I've ordered some flowers of sulphur so will find out soon. I think the other 2 items require egg withdrawal...at least I'd check that if using, but does sound promising. Good luck! I won't get a chance to report back for a few days now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I was reading that site too - have been waiting for some definite reports from my fellow omleteers as the problem has been there for some time and doesn't seem to be spreading, (and, feeling guilty here, really don't fancy bathing the girls every day ) My local chicken supplier can offer me sulphur to make a bath with, but not flowers of sulphur. Is there any difference does any one know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 neem oil, does seem to have done the trick! lots of fluffy white feathers! quite apart from any other properties I suspect it smothers the mite! smells a bit,! Also used in the garden due to my persistent, hoprrific fly problem, but cannot see abny improvement there yet, though they say min 10 days. Need to find main breeding site.(sorry I digress!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I am noticing a huge improvement in my girl. Her knickers have practically re-grown. The wing tips are still threadbare, and I suspect they will remain so till she moults. I hit upon the idea of mixing some of the Flowers of Sulphur powder with a little Tee Tree and Lavender ointment and applying it to the red bits. The difference overnight was remarkable. Much less red and angry looking. I shall continue with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Poor Enid is totally naked and a few others are following in her footsteps I can't see her surviving a winter with no feathers. Neem oil is not an option for us ... might try the others if I can find a supplier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Apache and Sioux both had bubble sulphur baths. Apache loved hers - and the blow dry. Sioux did not and her feathers were coming out in handfulls, so I guess she is moulting too. Both big girls are tending to hide most of the time - which I think is like the wild birds - they like to be seen with perfect feathers (our blackbird is hiding out and only pops up for the odd raisin). Sioux's also getting new ones appear so she has been lotioned too just in case. Is it normal for them to sulk when moulting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GillC Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 Been on a few short breaks, trying treatments in between. Two baths of flowers of sulpher don't seem to have made any difference. Bought some nippon powder with permethrin in it and carefully powdered one pink patch and a threadbare patch on one wing to see if there was a noticeable difference. It's been a week and I'm not convinced. I found some dog shampoo on holiday and plan to try that next as it sounds as though it will coat all the affected bits thoroughly and might help. I also like the neem oil approach and will order some as a backup to mix with cream, some flowers of sulpher and TeaTree (thanks for the tip Egluntine). I really hope something works. Odd that it doesn't seem to affect the other chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 My most severely effected one, if indeed it is/was depluming mite, is actually not thriving generally and a test to Retford showed some bacteria. She possible is more susceptible cos she is "not quite right". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GillC Posted August 28, 2009 Author Share Posted August 28, 2009 I've been hanging on to see if the nippon ant powder made any difference. Meanwhile, ordered some neem oil which just arrived, so I planned to try anointing the red bits and, basically, any bald bits that Amber would let me near. Then today a shocking thing happened. This morning the three chooks were out in their orchard (posh name for a bit of garden we let them roam in during the day) looking OK. One of Amber's wings did seem to be showing signs of improvement and I could see fluffy feathers appearing, one of which seemed to cover one of the red patches which looked nice. Maybe the ant powder is having an effect. By 5pm Patsy's feathers on her shoulders and the base of her tail had become all plume-less rather like Amber. I was horrified. I'd started seeing Patsy-feathers around the run yesterday and thought she might be moulting. So, I've bathed them both in a bucket with diluted dog-shampoo. It seemed to me that if the permethrin in the ant powder helped the shoulder, then maybe having a bath which would coat them all over might fix the problem once and for all. Of course then I ended up with two rather chilly and upset chickens tottering around the garden. I've gathered them all in and shut them in their eglu with lots of shredded paper bedding to keep them warm (and one dry chicken). Feeling a bit worried about tomorrow. Does anybody know if I need to withdraw the eggs with pyrethrum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 I think it's a week. Sioux is growing more feathers on her tummy but still looks dry - have been spraying with tea tree lotion. She still has one tail feather looking like a flagpole - it is very tempting to pull it out! Had to stop OH because he said the same thing. Poor little birdy. She looks half the size. However the rest of the garden still looks like a pillow fight and their clubhouse has a nice feather bed. She is getting nice wing feathers now - Apache still has her full quota apart from the tummy (also getting sprayed). I have covered the clubhouse ground with diatom and sulphur just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenmb Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 I'm so glad I found this thread (haven't been on the forum for a bit!) as I have one girl in particular who is very red and bald in the bottie region and also at the base of her tail and under her wings. I had thought that we have a feather pecker - and to some extent I think we do but I have 3 other girlies with similar bald bits without so much redness. However, rather puzzling I have 3 girls who are pretty much untouched, does anyone have the redness happening to just either one or a limited number of their little flock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Our youngsters are fine - it's the older birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenmb Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Hmmm.... its the other way round with me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GillC Posted August 30, 2009 Author Share Posted August 30, 2009 However, rather puzzling I have 3 girls who are pretty much untouched, does anyone have the redness happening to just either one or a limited number of their little flock? I had one affected for months. A second one appears to have just started in the past few days and one is completely clear. I too wondered about pecking, but I've never seen any evidence of pecking behaviour and there's no blood or damage. Also, remaining feathers seem stripped of their plumes near the bast, but sometimes still look fine at the ends, as if the chicken herself is worrying away at her own feathers. Other feathers are stripped and then just snapped off. On a positive note, something seems to be working slowly as the worst affected appears to have some fluffy new feathers. I've tried the following in order (timings approximate): diatomaceous earth approx 3 weeks ago I'd seen red spider mites. Got rid of this and dusted birds liberally. Didn't seem to make much difference to the bald bits Flowers of sulpher bath (twice a few days apart) 2+ weeks ago not much obvious results - sulpher seemed to float on surface nippon ant powder on small patches (pyrethrum) over a week ago I think that the chicken worried less at those bits as I began to see some regrowth that didn't get pecked off dog shampoo with pyrethrum 2 days ago Still too early to tell, but if the pyrethrum in the ant powder worked then maybe the dog shampoo will reach the under-bits Neem oil yesterday Tried it on my own skin to make sure it was OK. Then anointed reddest chicken bits. Smelled a bit. Chook went to preen it off but clearly didn't like the taste and wiped her beak off on the grass and left well alone. Wonder if this might work. I'm going to leave them alone for a bit now and see if there is any regrowth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenmb Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Thanks for the info GillC I've ordered some Flowers of Sulphur and also some NeemAid from http://www.neemgenie.co.uk. It looks really useful and I though I could either bathe her, mist her using a spray bottle or sponge some on. They do lots of different products including a Neem 'Talc' which sounds like it might be a goodie too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 I think it may be just down to how well their immune systems cope, & I guess they are all different, mine was low grade poorly(though built up to high grade) think they csan't sirt themselves out so well. Been on antibiotics a week now, & treated for depluming mite and all looks much calmer with new feathers coming thrpough, the 1st time since she came to me at Easter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckingmad Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 OOOOOO! really hope you peeps are still watching this thread as am in a quandry! Have exactly the same problem with almost all of my girls, but Jemima is definately the worst - almost scarlet bottom/vent, bright red tum and really thick-feeling scabby skin on her lower back and tail base. Her feathers are threadbare at the base but seem dry and brittle... we dusted all the girls with barrier red mtie powder on tuesday, seen a definate reduction in lice/mites on them but there are still some hanging around plus the eggs which the powder obviously did nothing to - when can I give them a bath with permethrin/pyrethrum? Am itching (literally) to get it done as soon as possible (too late this evening), but don't want to make thigns worse for them by doing too much in one go Help?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GillC Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 OOOOOO! really hope you peeps are still watching this thread as am in a quandry! Have exactly the same problem with almost all of my girls, but Jemima is definately the worst - almost scarlet bottom/vent, bright red tum and really thick-feeling scabby skin on her lower back and tail base. Her feathers are threadbare at the base but seem dry and brittle... we dusted all the girls with barrier red mtie powder on tuesday, seen a definate reduction in lice/mites on them but there are still some hanging around plus the eggs which the powder obviously did nothing to - when can I give them a bath with permethrin/pyrethrum? Am itching (literally) to get it done as soon as possible (too late this evening), but don't want to make thigns worse for them by doing too much in one go Help?! Hi Cluckingmad, I really feel for you. I was getting quite desperate when I started this thread. I cannot say with any certainty when you can do each thing. I tried things more or less as they were suggested and as I was able to get the products. Amber was, I think, like your Jemima. She's now improving although still a bit threadbare. Her red bits have calmed down substantially and I can see definite fluffy regrowth. Patsy, the 2nd chick I thought was affected - well, turns out I made a mistake. She'd been moulting and obviously got to a point where she looked really bad. Within days what I thought were pecked off quills showed growth at the ends so she was obviously just sorting her plumage out. She had an unnecessary bath in dog shampoo but seems none the worse, To be honest, the biggest improvement I think I saw in Amber was after I gently rubbed nippon ant powder onto her reddest bits. Based on that improvement (and assuming it was due to the permethrin in the ant powder), I then bathed her in dog shampoo (about a week later) and then tried the neem oil a few days after that. She is improving every day. My red mite infestation was quite minor and cleared up after one powdering. In terms of shock, bathing was a bit of a trauma. They get very wet and cold and you either have to blow dry them with a hairdrier or, as I did, do them just before bed time and get them snuggled down in the warm eglu. I was Sooo worried that I put down tons of shredded paper all over the roosting bars as well so they could snuggle up. They were fine next morning. Good luck with it. GillC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
