Strange Black Grease in Feathers- *pictures*

J

JessPickle

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Pickle keeps getting this recently, he didn't have it on sunday then went up today and his white feathers were all black with grease (only the white ones are ever affected! ) it doesn't comb out and it you can't brush it out without pulling all his feathers out. The only way I can get it off is to put his whole foot in a bucket on hibiscrub to loosen it so I can scrub it off. Allthough this works its very time consuming and was wondering if anyone knew what it was and how to treat it. Sorry to put this in two forums but wanted some more opinions.

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poor pickle having his foot soaked
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no idea what that could be, but you could sort it by cutting his feathers off.
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was planning on that but that would still leave some as its on his heels as well.
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does it seem like a cumulation (sp?) of mud and his own natural grease? or something he has trod in? oily patch in his field maybe? Does he have any sign of mud fever in there as that could explain him excreting extra grease?
 
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does it seem like a cumulation (sp?) of mud and his own natural grease? or something he has trod in? oily patch in his field maybe? Does he have any sign of mud fever in there as that could explain him excreting extra grease?

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doesn't feel like mud feels almost like a tar kind of texture. Can't see why it would be field based as he has had it when in different fields and our fields are not accessed by road. No normal signs of mud fever. Think will clip feathers off then see what happens
 
Does it have any smell to it? If it smells foul and the grease is exuding from his skin then this could be "greasy heel". If it's just in the long hair then maybe he has trodden in somthing in the field? Try using just washing up liquid to break the grease down. Check for any scabs on his skin and treat with pig oil and sulphur ( Theresa F does a whole fact sheet on this so PM her) You should'nt need to take his feathers off as they will protect his legs.
 
It could still be "grease" from his skin. We had a clydesdale mare that had greasy heel, only on her back legs, When we first discovered it the smell was unpleasant because it had accumilated and the gunk (yellowish /grey) smelled like somthing had died! Anyway we kept it under control with hibiscrub then pig oil and sulphur so although it never entirely cleared up it did'nt smell and cause problems. The point being that as you have been washing his legs you have prevented the grease from accumulating and creating an odour. Check his skin and see if there is a creamy yellow discharge.
 
I think it means he is sick of where he lives and needs to come and live in Yorkshire!!
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Post him here immediately and all sympthoms will vanish!
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Sorry... No help whatsoever but really feel for you having to scrub it off all the time. Like I said, send him up here and I'll save you all that scrubbing time!
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