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Ok I've kept chooks a long time and seen all sorts of mites and lice, infections etc but never seen this before. We recently rescued a little black hen who was in a terrible mess, and she has been kept in isolation since we brought her home, I thought she had scaly face so treated it but didn't work. However this scaly stuff is all over her body, at the bases of every feather, it is yellow/cream in colour, is not like eggs but crusts. She has it on her face and comb and when she scratches it off it leaves a cut and raw bleeding flesh underneath. She does not have scaly legs, but every feather follicle is filled with this crusty stuff! The stuff also smells very sweet and is very crumbly, and appears to be very itchy. I have frontlined her all over, treated for scaly infection and even just gently combed the loose stuff out thinking it may just be what was left of a mite infection, but it comes back! The vet thought scaly face, but since treatment didn't work is stumped! She is healthy otherwise and is laying (I don't keep the eggs I dispose of them) she is carrying plenty of weight, but just looks disgusting!
I am giving her a last chance but if no cure I'll have to cull as I don't want to keep her in discomfort.
julia x

Oh gosh Julia, that really does sound nasty but I am really not sure. Do keep us updated, I hope someone can help.

Regards,
Jamie.

chicken body louse?

Nah no lice, no mites nothing visible. Really weird!

how strange??

Could it be Flavus?

Do you mean Favus scarlett buffy?? The symptoms are very similar.
The only other thing I can think of is some sort of skin irritation similar to eczema in which case I would try applying vasiline or aquaeous cream.
link to favus: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/59/favus
sorry I can't be more help.
chaz

try either olive oil, or liquid parrafin both of these will put the oils back into the skin and if it is dermo mites (tiny microcopic beasties) it will suffocate them.
hope this helps a little

Thanks guys for your help. I gave her a good bath & some olive oil and although a little greasy looking she's much better!
x x x