Dry flaky skin

[finchaviary]

A few of my birds have VERY dry skin. Now that it's so dry this time of year I have a humidifier going all the time and am feeding the birds Sunshine Factor on their spray millet, and cod liver oil in their sprouted seed. Doesn't seem to be helping. Does anyone know if there any other product that I can use to help, either to apply directly on the ones I can catch or in their food? Thank you.

[debbie276]

What if you applied a little olive oil directly to their legs being careful not to get the oil on their feathers. I assume your saying they have dry legs and feet.

[PrettyBird]

I think it could also determine the age of the bird. Or if they have scaly face/leg mites?

[finchaviary]

It's not their legs it's actually the skin under the feathers. The vet first discovered it in one of my cordon bleus who was unwell so I caught and took into the vet (who, sadly I took back to the avian vet earlier this evening but after 11 days of antibiotics and 2 treatments of ivermec still was open mouth breathing, she gained 3 grams in 11 days and had a swollen abdomen so the vet thought it may be liver disease so we decided to ease her pain and euthanize her - poor bird must have been in so much pain, I'm sorry that I put her through ). Anyway my baby gouldians who I thought were "abandoned" - remember that fiasco?!?!) who are now doing great but when I was handfeeding them that first day I noticed their skin really dry too. Our avian vet here in Calgary says it's just par for the course in this extremely dry climate, but I'm determined there's something that can be done. I went to the health food store and got aloe water for their bird bath, which is also good for them if they drink it, and I also got them hemp oil for their spray millet. I also have the humidifier on so hopefully all of this helps. Anyone else in a cold dry climate have any suggestions?

[PrettyBird]

Aw sorry to hear about the Cordon. I know you did what you could.

As for flaky skin...I live in Calgary as well, and non of my birds have dry flaky skin at all.
The only issue with dry humidity here (for me) is that Ive lost a few eggs. The babies were being "shrink wrapped" in their sacs days before hatching due to the dryness.
I tried everything. And the only thing that seems to be working to get the eggs to hatch is misting them with warm water twice a day, and misting the birds when they leave the nest

Hopefully what you are trying will work for you.
Good luck!