The skin is the largest organ on the human body, this organ is what suffers the most damage from the sun and the elements. Similarly, a chicken’s skin can suffer from the elements as well, it can also become dry and flakey, and be attacked by ticks, mites, and other parasites.
If your chickens develop dry flaky skin, you may be confused as to why this is happening, this article looks into it
Your chicken will develop dry flaky skin when its feathers grow back in or, if the bird has mites,
Table of Contents
Chicken has dry flaky skin, why this happens, what to do
Feathers growing in:
If your bird recently lost some feathers, then your bird most probably has dry flaky skin because its new feathers are growing in.
If your bird, for instance, had its feathers ripped out in a fight or was attacked, then the bird will grow a sheath for the feathers to grow out of.
This sheath is made out of keratin and protects the feathers as they begin to grow out. The sheath grows along with the feathers, getting longer over time.
This sheath will break off when the bird preens itself. It breaks up into small flakes that will fall onto your bird’s skin and make the skin look dry and flakey.
This is normal, the sheath will be fully gone once the new feathers have fully grown in.
What to do:
You don’t have to do anything, this is a normal process, your bird will simply preen itself until the sheath falls off.
Other birds may help with preening your bird, this helps remove the sheath. If the other birds start to over-preen the bird, and cause damage, then you can isolate the bird.
Molting:
If your chickens haven’t been attacked by a predator, or haven’t been in a fight, feather loss can still happen. Chickens lose feathers during their annual molt and grow a new set afterward.
These feathers also grow with a sheath, the sheath will break off and fall onto the skin and this will make the bird look like it has dry flaky skin.
What to do:
There is nothing to do in this situation just as in the previous situation, letting the bird go through this natural process is the only way to go.
Scaly leg mites:
If your bird is suffering from dry flaky skin on its legs then the bird may have scaly leg mites.
These mites enter the chicken by digging under the bird’s scales on its legs. Usually, a healthy chicken has scales that are smooth and lie flat. The mites will cause the scales on your chicken’s legs to look dry, raised, uneven, rough, crusty, and peel off.
As this ailment progresses, your chicken’s legs will grow thick white scabs. This flaky skin usually develops on the chicken’s legs, but it can also develop on the bird’s wattle or comb.
If the dry flaky skin on your chicken is accompanied by lameness, difficulty walking and deformed feet, then your bird may be suffering from this ailment.
What to do:
You can treat this ailment using natural or commercial solutions depending on your preferences,
A simple and natural way to treat your bird for this ailment is to wash the bird’s feet with a mix of warm water and dish soap, then let the bird dry.
After this, apply a mixture of white vinegar and neem oil, or garlic juice, and rub the scales using an old toothbrush.
After that, apply coconut oil, or olive oil mixed with cayenne pepper and a few drops of sweet orange essential oil, to your bird’s feet.
Treating birds using veterinary treatments, like moxidectin, can also be quite effective.
Treating the bird’s environment is also critical, this ensures this infestation doesn’t reoccur in your bird again or in other birds.
Do this by making sure that your birds always have access to a dust bath, add some thyme, lavender, or lemongrass to the dust bath. Also, keep an eye on your nesting boxes and remove and replace the nesting material when needed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if your bird has dry and flakey skin, then this may simply be the shedding of the bird’s sheath, or the bird may have scaly leg mites.
There is nothing you can do to help get rid of the sheath when the feathers are growing in, but there are treatment options for scaly leg mites
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other chicken related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Baby Chick With Swollen Bottom, Red Spots On Chicken Legs, Red Inflamed Skin On Chickens, Chicken Dandruff
