Chicken skin with rash and scabs discovered after plucking.

[Birdmanjunior]

Hello everyone! I’ve been lurking on the forum for a while and this website has been a huge help. You all have created one of the greatest resources ever for raising poultry - I could not have made it here without you!

I’ve finally made an account because of the following:

We picked up our first chicks ever this year and got several heritage breeds. We arrived at the time to process the cockerels and have done so. However, once the cockerels were plucked, we found that they all (5/5) have scabby skin rashes in various areas. The scabby areas were concentrated in their “armpits” and upper legs.

What could these be?! We still have the hens and these rashes look very uncomfortable and I don’t want them to be suffering!! We have chiggers in the yard, and these look like some sort of insect or mite bite but I certainly don’t have the experience to say for sure (I’m a biologist but not a vet!!) and I’d really love some help knowing whether these cockerels are safe to eat and also how I can treat the hens (which I am sure are suffering from the same issue - we won’t be processing them hopefully for many years and want them to live happy comfortable lives!).

Any help is greatly appreciated, both in identifying the issue and treating it.

Thank you all for your help!!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

@sourland Any idea?

 

[Kiki]

Did you happen to take any pictures of the organs too?

 

[The Coop Crew]

Hmmm. I’m curious to see what you find out.
Welcome to the community by the way!

 

[Kiki]

The might be tumors. Do you want to cut one of the bigger ones out?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC

Any lesions on the combs, lice/mites or canker inside the beak?

Marek's disease or Fowl Pox comes to mind, but hopefully others will chime in.

 

[Birdmanjunior]

Welcome To BYC

Any lesions on the combs, lice/mites or canker inside the beak?

Marek's disease or Fowl Pox comes to mind, but hopefully others will chime in

Yikes! Well they were all vaccinated for mareks disease. All five of the birds had them, would they still be tumors? I didn’t see any lice but didn’t check very hard, where should I look for those? The heads and combs all look totally fine - before I plucked them the birds all looked great, they eat well and seem healthy to me (although I’m inexperienced so I can’t claim to be sure).

 

[Coops Dad]

Those sores look like each is affecting a feather follicle. Can you tell us where you're located, what feed you started them on, how old they are, what adult feed you transitioned them to, and when?

Also, try opening one to see if some sort of parasite may have made a home in the follicles.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yikes! Well they were all vaccinated for mareks disease. All five of the birds had them, would they still be tumors? I didn’t see any lice but didn’t check very hard, where should I look for those? The heads and combs all look totally fine - before I plucked them the birds all looked great, they eat well and seem healthy to me (although I’m inexperienced so I can’t claim to be sure).

Wasn't trying to alarm you, just asking questions

But, yes, even vaccinated birds can become symptomatic with the disease, it happens.

 

[Birdmanjunior]

Those sores look like each is affecting a feather follicle. Can you tell us where you're located, what feed you started them on, how old they are, what adult feed you transitioned them to, and when?

Also, try opening one to see if some sort of parasite may have made a home in the follicles.

I see! I am located in Kansas. We do have lots of chiggers in the yard (I was wondering because they seem concentrated in the armpits etc). They are 12 weeks old now, we started them on Purina medicated chick crumble originally but now they get scratch and peck organic starter mash (transitioning to grower mash now). I just went out to the coop to check on the hens (where these cockerels were until last night) and there may be some small mites in there? Is that what this could be?

Thanks so much!!