Mrs

[Chicken deficient]

I was checking over my 10 chickens today.

One of the 10 has some thickening at the base of a few of the feathers near her vent. At first I assumed it was lice, but the crusts do not look like eggs or crusts, rather more like dry skin. I could not find any lice anywhere on her and none of the other chickens is affected.

 

Any ideas, or do I just treat her for lice anyway as a precaution?

 

Thanks

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Has she moulted recently? Could it be feather shaft casings?

[Chicken deficient]

No, she moulted at the end of last summer. (Summer?! Pah!). I went out again this evening with a torch and spent ages looking through her feathers, but found no actual lice. I've dusted her bum anyway with louse powder.

 

The stuff at the base of her feathers is not as silky and flakey as feather casings, it is thicker and rougher - a bit like if your cuticles are in bad condition and need pushing down your nails! Well, actually, a bit drier looking and more opaque than cuticles. (I think a photo could have been helpful here ). Maybe tomorrow!

[superkitty]

Is it white or another colour? if its white, Mine all have that, it just looks like dry skin to me so I've ignored it. When mine have had Northern fowl mite (twice now, cue two epic battles with the mites before I won each time! ) it has been very obvious, with critters running around when you part the feathers and very sore-looking vents/ plates of scabby stuff around them. Hope you manage to get to the bottom of it

[Chicken deficient]

Hope you manage to get to the bottom of it

Thanks! I'm beginning to think it is just her.

[Chicken deficient]

I posted this a while ago. Nothing has changed. One hen still has dry crusts at the base of the feathers below her vent. I cannot see any lice or mites and the other 10 chickens do not have any crusting.

 

It looks like this:

 

 

If you try to s"Ooops, word censored!"e it off with your nail, it comes off very easily and is kind of soft / greasy / flakey.

 

Any ideas?

[The Dogmother]

That just looks like dead/dry skin to me rather than lice or mite eggs.

 

As said above, it is very obvious when they have critters.

 

Try making up a small spray of water with a few drops each of tea tree and lavender oils and spray it onto the skin where it looks dry - this will soothe and moisturise a bit too.

[Chicken deficient]

Thank you. I am going through a niggle clear out at the moment - anything about the chickens that has been bothering me for a bit, I am trying to either resolve or consign to the 'not a problem' category.

I shall spray Edna's bottom with tea tree and lavender as suggested and then try not to get caught sniffing her bottom, which will undoubtably smell lovely afterwards