Hi All,

 

Wondering if I can get your opinons on my Old girl we've had her for 6 years and she wasn't a baby when we got her, she started looking a little tired the last few weeks, and I've been busy with work and the new batch of Chicks that Ive not kept as close an eye on her as I normally would.

 

 

 

This is a photo I've just taken, she going bald (for lack of a better word) she's got a few patchs of feathers missing all over her body; and her beak has started to grow longer. She's still happy flying around the Aviary, she's actually a bit hard to catch, so I don't want to tramitiser her and catch her unless I have too. She's still eating and drinking and hubbie says she still first to the bottom of the aviry for lettuce/greens. What do you think? do I need to catch her and take her to the vet? I don't really want to have to move her to the Small Cage unless its 100% nesseary.

 

Thanks

Hi The person to answer your questions is your vet. You can't beat hands on when making a diagnosis.

Her beak will need a trim as will her claws if she's not as active as she was. Feather loss could be a sign

of being picked on by other hens.....B.J.

Thanks, I'll give catching her a try as soon as we can and take her off to the vet, I don't think the featherloss is from being picked on, She actually got a pair of "protectors" who look after her. One of them even feeds her from time to time.

It kind of looks to me like she has scaley face.

How did she go Aus? Hope all is well with her..

Hi, we finally got to the vet today, the vet thinks she may have Beak & Feather disease, but the test is $260 and the vet said there would be nothing they could do for her, She said apart from the lost of feathers she is in really good health for her age, she has a small tumor under her tail bit that that isn't causing any issues.

 

Vet said to pop her back in the aviary and see how she goes they didn't think there would be any issues..

Thanks for the update.

Why not try her on some ivermectin scaly/mite treatment, just in case. I think you can buy it online in Aus now without vet prescription from vetafarm.

Hi, I'd say vet would have said if she had any scaly mites. One thing I'd be concerned with is whether she would be contageous (beak & feather disease) to other birds.

You don't want your other birds to be at risk.

Update: after losing about 90% of her feathers they have grown back She's still having issues flying but otherwise she's looking good

Glad she's doing better.