Molted, now sunburned?

[LittleFATMe]

My chicken Dawn - RIR - wonderful bird, so loving - started molting about two months ago. She lost her head feathers and her back feathers and was starting to grow them back. One morning we found her I think in shock. It appeared that an animal had attacked and she had a whole in her neck. We took care of her and she has recovered, but ever since her feathers stopped growing in. the diamond between her wind is still bare with just the tip of feathers breaking skin. It has been that way for over a month. Now her skin is hard and hot and RED like sunburn. The skin covered in feather is still soft chicken skin. Today I found her sleeping with little flies on her bare skin and I worry. What can I do for her? How can I help the feathers come in? Should I treat her with sunscreen? She is a loved yard chicken, who has the sweetest spirit. Please help.
Thank you,
FAT

 

[feathersnuggles]

I think there's a fly spray that's safe to use on chickens. Make sure the flies that are on her skin aren't laying eggs in any open sores she may have there. Clean any open sores and flush thoroughly, then put a salve like neosporin and wrap. You can spray with fly spray, after that.

That's IF there's a sore. Otherwise, yes they can get sunburned. On her scar tissue, you could rub some bag balm maybe with a little lavender oil in it, so the flies aren't attracted. And then you can protect her against sunburn with a chicken apron. I know, it's funny sounding. I haven't used them, but people use them to protect hens that are getting torn up by roosters. If you search BYC using the word "apron", you're sure to find some posts and people who make them.

Good luck with your sweet bird. I'm glad she survived!

 

[zavierchick]

Awww, sweet birdie, glad she made it! Sounds like sunburn to me, too - one of our dogs used to sunburn like crazy, she was a very short haired shar pei/vizsla mix and if she laid out while we were doing something outside, like a garage sale, or working on the yard too long she would burn her tummy bad! We actually started using kids sunscreen on her if we knew we were going to out somewhere - the things we do for our beasties

 

[LittleFATMe]

I rubbed her down with bag balm, there were two scabs at the site of would be feathers. I ordered an apron, until then how to I keep her from ingesting the balm? Will it hurt her?

 

[feathersnuggles]

I don't think a small amt of bag balm will hurt her. It's basically lanolin plus petroleum jelly.