# White earlobes on ISA Browns



## clucklucky (Apr 5, 2016)

I'm a first-time chicken owner with three ISA Brown hens, all about nine months old. We got them when they were 4mo.
They've been excellent layers, are very friendly and curious, and love human attention. Their feathers have always been bright and full, and their combs and wattles became bright red shortly after they developed. I feed them a layer feed mix with house scraps, and they also eat grass and any small sprouts/plants that might grow from the seeds in their feed.

But lately I've noticed the earlobes on all three starting to pale/whiten to varying degrees on each. Larry (yes, I named a hen Larry) is also a bit lighter than the others, but she lays well and eats like a pig. I can touch their earlobes with no sign of pain or discomfort, and they all act normally. (Scootch has a bit of a croaky voice today, but most mornings she walks around yelling until she's laid her egg. Could she just have a sore throat?)

What could this be? Are they in any kind of pain or danger that I don't know about? I'm not home right now, but I could add photos later if it would help.

Thank you for any responses.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

If their combs and wattles are red, and they are eating and drinking normal, that may just be the color of their ears.


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## clucklucky (Apr 5, 2016)

They're mostly red with what looks like a white dusting in the middle


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

clucklucky said:


> They're mostly red with what looks like a white dusting in the middle


Welcome. I'd like you to post a pic or two of the earlobes please. I'd like to see if it's Favus.
Any symptoms of rattling, wheezing, coughing, runny nostrils/eyes from Scootch? If not, and she's only croaking a little, I wouldnt worry about it.


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## clucklucky (Apr 5, 2016)

Scootch is the brown one in the second pic. She doesn't sound croaky any more and she has no other symptoms, so I imagine it was just a sore throat.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Well, birds dont get sore throats, there is always a cause. Sometimes birds squawk differently, or she may have had a feed granule go down the windpipe or something of that nature. Just let me know if you see any of the aforementioned symptoms I mentioned in my previous post which are more serious.
Scootch may have Favus starting up on her earlobe. Favus is a fungus and can be contageous. I recommend that you wear disposable gloves when treating her earlobes. Purchase a product that contains miconazole and put it on your birds' earlobes that have the favus. It will take time to clear up, dont expect overnight miracles. Monostat cream or Lotrimin contains miconazole. It would be best to apply a cream. Remember to wear disposable gloves. Otherwise your effected hens will be fine and continue to act normal and lay eggs as usual. Eggs are safe to eat when using miconazole.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I have a couple of chickens with blue ears and that is just the color their ears are.


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## MikeA_15 (Feb 21, 2016)

Like dawg stated, Miconozole is a very effective topical anti-fungal and can be found in any drug store. Keep inside of coops dry and check for mold around tree stumps/old wood around where they range. If you can dip a finger in mineral oil and rub the white off the ear then it likely Favus. If not, a breeder may have introduced some Mediterranean breed which have white ears such as Leghorns/Ancona into the gene pool.


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## clucklucky (Apr 5, 2016)

Thank you for the replies. I asked the place that provides our chicken feed ad bedding about Favus, and they recommended a diluted Dettol mixture. I've been applying it a couple times a day for two days so far and have not noticed any changes.














I've attached more pictures of the same birds. Scootch is the darker one. Their combs are a tiny bit paler than they used to be, but the skin does not look dry. There are no lesions or featherless spots, and the white/pale patches do not "scale off".
I will continue the treatment as long as it causes no negative effects, but I'm not sure if this even is Favus.


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