unwell chicken

[Anonymous]

Hi, we have a Magpie chicken and she has white hard lumps at the base of her feather and is making a strange clucking noise and has a red rash, and has also lost some feathers. She is just sitting down and seems sad . She is almost 1 year old. Please if you have any ideas please reply asap. Many thanks.

 

[foxy]

Hello Pompeyrick and welcome to the forum!

Sorry to hear your hen is under the weather, is it possible she could be broody? They do make a clucking noise, fluff up when disturb and like to sit in the nestbox, and get grouchy if disturbed.
The white hard lumps could be lice eggs, they look like small, white, hard lumps of sugar clustered at the base of feathers, usually around the vent.
You can try can washing them off, or cut the worst of them away, then apply a product designed to get rid of lice from birds.. Johnsons Mite Spray is a good one.
To prevent lice use Diatom powder in their nestbox or powder them regulary making sure the powder gets to the base of the feathers.
Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that information, she's in for the night and will give it a go tomorrow. Many thanks

 

[Tim]

Agree with Foxy, she sounds broody to me. They lose feathers on their undercarriage so their skin is in contact with the eggs to warm them.

The white clumps usually look like granualted sugar at the base of the feathers and are very hard to get off - if you part the feathers you should also see fast moving yellow / brown coloured lice running for cover too.

A vet will often prescribe ivermectin drops or a pyrethium based powder for dusting. It soon removes them but the advantage of the ivermectin is it has a residual effect, lasting for 3 to 5 weeks or so. They usually advise a 7 day egg withdrawal period but I bet she isn't laying at the moment anyway.

I have moved your post to the chickens health section by the way ;-)

Oh and sorry - a warm welcome to the forum too...