BRAHMA HEN-Just molting or something worse?

[Lyranonamous]

HI all,
My Brahma hen Lizzie (who is 2) has no foot feathers (I'm not sure when she lost them) and there are just quills now. I don't remember seeing just quills last year-but maybe it happened. She is beginning to molt on her neck which just became noticeable today, so I'm hoping this is just a normal molt. However I've noticed there is some blood on one of the foot quills and there are some small pimple-like black bumps on her feet. Is this normal molting or is there something wrong with her legs?
I don't think anyone else is picking on her because I only have a mom hen who is busy with 8 chicks and they don't sleep in the same place with Lizzie. They do free range together in the day but mostly Lizzie is off by herself and the mom and babies stay in a group. She is not limping in any way and has her usual big appetite.
Are the quills and black spots normal? Would I need to treat the bloody quill?

 

[barnardflock]

I have had the EXACT same problem with my light Brahma hen, Salt (Yes, her friend is Pepper! I separated her from all the others for a week, and it all cleared up. Hope this helps.

 

[MrsBrooke]

It looks like she broke a feather or someone else is pecking at her little pin feathers as they grow in.

Molting is awful.

Wash her off with a cloth and some saline water. Dab some iodine, BluKote, or Neosporin on the tips and keep her separate from the others for a bit. See if you can determine if there is a pecker of pins in the flock.

If *she* is doing it to herself, she may be feather picking due to parasites or lack of protein in her diet. Check her over for parasites and/or mix 20% chick feed with her regular food and see if that helps.

Let us know!

MrsB

 

[Lyranonamous]

Thank you. Did Salt have those black pimply looking dots? Maybe this is just where the feathers will emerge from. But they look strange

 

[Lyranonamous]

Thanks very much MrsB. Do you mean 20% protein feed? If so should I give her protein treats such as bean sprouts or sunflower seeds too?
Can you explain what tips I would put the iodine or Blu-Kote on?
I will check her for parasites in the daylight. I don't think anyone is picking her-they really don't stay together.
So these quills and black spots look normal to you?

 

[barnardflock]

Yes, that's where the feathers are coming back in. Salt's went away after we kept her out for a few days.

 

[MrsBrooke]

Thanks very much MrsB. Do you mean 20% protein feed? If so should I give her protein treats such as bean sprouts or sunflower seeds too?
Can you explain what tips I would put the iodine or Blu-Kote on?
I will check her for parasites in the daylight. I don't think anyone is picking her-they really don't stay together.
So these quills and black spots look normal to you?

Tips of the broken feathers shafts.

Sunflower seeds would be awesome and bean sprouts are great, too.

Other than that, everything looks okay. Let us know about the parasites!

MrsB

 

[Lyranonamous]

Thank you so much
Lyra

 

[Lyranonamous]

Ok about the parasites: I checked her vent area with a flashlight while she was roosting and didn't see anything. Then at the feed store today they said mites would probably not be visible and she could be coming down with scaly leg mites. So I gave her a bath, but not a good one because I couldn't hold her and wash her. I got her wet to about her chest and washed off her feet as much as possible. After blow drying I checked her butt again and because of the molt I could see the quill part of the feathers clearly and her skin. Then I checked with a flashlight and magnifying glass and still could not see any mites or lice. I also checked the bath water and did not see any dead bugs in there (although maybe I didn't leave here there long enough to actually see dead mites) I put olive oil on her legs to be safe but to me it doesn't look like her scales are raised at all.
Based on the photos would you say she looks like she has mites on her legs?
Her vent area was pretty dirty (yuk) But mostly I notice that she's lost weight, is fairly aggressive about food, and looks ragged. Could this be internal parasites?

 

[Lyranonamous]

You were exactly right-those horrible looking black spots are where the feathers are coming in !