feather rot

[Guest paulrstokes]

Any one help with a case of feather rot.

 

I am flying roundabout and the cocks have developed a small patch of chewed feathers half way down their chests, no sign at all on the hens.

 

Was not sure what it was showed an old boy I know and he says feather rot, any ideas how to treat this, and where does it come from, birds are all one spotted and plenty of duramitex used?

 

Wierd thing is a few of them suffered the same at exactly the same time last year, but that just cleared itself up during the moult.

 

Nothing wrong with the birds at all, all are spinning round and took the first three in the club saturday, infact the one with the worse feathers actually won!!

[stevebelbin]

Lighter fluid is one thing ive heard being used!

[Guest paulrstokes]

Good job they dont smoke :)

[jimmy white]

this is caused by depluming mite,, that eats at the base of the chest and neck feathers ,, i have used the old fashioned carbolic soap in the past ,, rubbing on twice per week makes a mess, but it works ,, problem is the feathers have to moult as the root of the feather is still in ,, there are many more modern methods, im quite sure the members will advise,, good luck

[Guest]

EQVALAN mate, I put this on another thread a few days ago. Its not messy, and once your birds have drank it, you are covered for a year. You will need to pluck the damaged feathers out in order for them to grow back properly, but don't do it until you have treat with EQVALAN. It also worms the birds! The mite is living in the quill, with his *expletive removed* sticking out of the damaged feather. If you put a treatment on the bird, he can tell by his backside, and can stay in the quill protected until your spray or whatever has worn off, then he will move to another quill. If you give the bird the Eqvalan treatment in the water, it goes into its bloodstream, and so the little mite then gets it pronto and its Goodbye from him! I promise you, this is for me, the most efficient and clean way to get rid of it. By the way, the mite is usualy carried on other birds, mice or rats, so unless your birds have picked it up in the basket from a clubmate, then you should check your lofts for vermin!

[stevebelbin]

Good job they dont smoke :)

 

;D ;D ;D good one  ;D ;D ;D

 

Ive seen it used and it does seem to work, they are left with a bald patch until they moult, unless you pull the feathers out, which cant be good. You should try Easitox from the PigeonPharmacy, it seems to kill all lice and mites etc

 

 

[Guest casbri]

if you use parrafin it will kill the mites

[me]

Any one help with a case of feather rot.

 

I am flying roundabout and the cocks have developed a small patch of chewed feathers half way down their chests, no sign at all on the hens.

 

Was not sure what it was showed an old boy I know and he says feather rot, any ideas how to treat this, and where does it come from, birds are all one spotted and plenty of duramitex used?

 

Wierd thing is a few of them suffered the same at exactly the same time last year, but that just cleared itself up during the moult.

 

Nothing wrong with the birds at all, all are spinning round and took the first three in the club saturday, infact the one with the worse feathers actually won!!

 

do you feed the cocks from a wooden feeder on the floor by any chance?

 

 

 

[Guest]

Just as a thought you dont have plastic grit pots that they stick their heads through to eat. I have some in the stock loft and the same pigeons every year when feeding the youngbirds rub the fronts of their chests with the plastic edge when they stick their head in, almost to the point they are bare.

 

I have a couple of widowhood cocks that this starts to happen to when rearing if I don't keep an eye on them. It's just that you said it happened exactly the same last year so feather rot wouldn't be a problem two years on the trot to the same pigeon it would be ongoing unless treated.

[celtic]

Me

what is the link to feeding out of a wooden feeder on the floor ?

cheers

[me]

Me

what is the link to feeding out of a wooden feeder on the floor ?

cheers

 

There might not be one but it is a possiblity that with "spare" cocks charging around bossing each other around especially with a dowelled feeder that is not particularly clean between the dowels. The damage to the feathers is caused by physical damage. Give the feeder a good clean by which I mean a rub down with sandpaper to make it nice and smooth and the problem stops feeding them individually in their boxes does the same thing obviously.

 

One thing I do know is that 9 times out of 10 damage like this is not caused by depluming mite its caused by daft young cocks going mad round the feeder.

 

Its easily checked take one of the birds with damaged feathers to a decent vet and he can remove a few feather quills quick look down the microscope and he can tell you their and then.

 

 

[Guest paulrstokes]

 

Yes I do feed the birds in a wooden feeder.

 

I will stop this now, and if they get worse we know we have a problem, if it doesn't get any worse or improves as we moult will assume it is the feeder.

 

I agree with Darren big coincidence it has happened two years running with nothing inbetween.

 

Thanks all will see  how things go