Topic: Bare chicken bums?

[kt.]

My hens have been losing their feathers around the bum for 2-3 months now.  The bald patches are red roar in places, some almost look as if they are ready to bleed.   I took one to the vet 4-5 weeks ago.  He advised to clean the henhouse &  worm the hens.  I did  this.  He also said the hens were fine and that feathers would grow back.  They have not. 

I put wood chippings in the run about 4 months ago and cleared them all out when the hen saw the vet.  I changed to straw from wood shavings too.  I am not disagreeing with the vet but I am still concerned that the hens are getting worse as it initially only affected the blackrocks; but is now affecting the white leghorns.  Egg production has not changed throughout.   

Any ideas :-\

[KimT]

Can you see anything at the base of the other feathers..................like eggs!

If you can get some mite spray and maybe put Ivermectin (from your vet) on the back of the neck incase there any beasties lurking.

Do you think they are feather pecking?

[kt.]

It is not feather pecking as it is too much and affects them all.  Also the dry red skin is too much just to appear from pecking.  There are no mites at all.  Even the vet said the hens are very clean and mite free.  The hen house has been cleaned with Jeyes fluid & a sulphur candle.  The hens have been dipped twice up to their necks against  mites and other beasties

[KimT]

I will have a word with an old chicken breeder friend and ask him if he can throw any light on it and I'll come back to you.

I have pm'd you too.

[gunnerbee]

be interesting to know as one of my hens has a baboon bum too!

[PurpleHeather]

vaseline is wonderful for a sore bum

[albacore1854]

mite

[CityChick]

Feather pecking can be very severe...

If it is feather pecking the ends of some of the existing feathers will have a "v" shape at the end where some bits have been broken off.  Like this:



One of mine was particuarly picked on, her back half being completely bald! :'(  The bare skin on her back half was very red and dry.

I took her to a chicken vet.  He said if the feathers were constantly pecked out they would give up trying to grow back after a while, hence the bald skin.  He said the next moult would trigger her feathers to grow back, and it did.  If not, then he could give her an injection (I think it was hormones) to trigger them to grow back.

The other reason some of mine have gone a bit thin feathered on their rears was if they were getting broody.