Does ANYONE know what's happening?

[Peytons Poultry]

So five of my hens now have a choppy bald spot in the same area on their backs. I've checked for mites and found nothing. I have no idea what's causing this. Could it be a predator? None of the chickens are bleeding, have feathers pulled from the roots or are dead, and it seems strange it's in the same place on all the birds. Help?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

So five of my hens now have a choppy bald spot in the same area on their backs. I've checked for mites and found nothing. I have no idea what's causing this. Could it be a predator? None of the chickens are bleeding, have feathers pulled from the roots or are dead, and it seems strange it's in the same place on all the birds. Help?

Do you have a rooster (or roosters) in the flock?

 

[Peytons Poultry]

No, just hens

 

[khill1982]

No, just hens

Is it time for them to moult? Or, have you noticed them picking at each other or themselves?

 

[Peytons Poultry]

Nope, all the chickens have molted for the year. I have noticed no picking, and I'm outside with them a lot. The feathers are very clean cut, which is strange

 

[Cluckies]

I would say either they are molting, or they are feather picking each other. You need to watch them and see if they are picking each other, if not, then most likely they are molting.

 

[Cluckies]

posted same time... then that is really weird if they have already molted

and they are not picking each other.

 

[Peytons Poultry]

Yes it's very strange... I'm going to keep it monitored

 

[Teila]

Hi there

It does sound like a strange one. Sounds like roosters; molting, feather picking and parasites have been ruled out which leaves me with one thought which may be stating the obvious ... have there been any changes to their surroundings recently?

Has a door become slightly smaller and they may be catching their feathers on it?
Are they young and still in the growing stage, maybe gotten a bit bigger and something rubbing on them above the roost etc?
Do they free range? Is there possibly a new, low lying branch they have started to run under?

Just throwing a repetitive contact line of thinking out there

 

[Cluckies]

Hi there

It does sound like a strange one. Sounds like roosters; molting, feather picking and parasites have been ruled out which leaves me with one thought which may be stating the obvious ... have there been any changes to their surroundings recently?

Has a door become slightly smaller and they may be catching their feathers on it?
Are they young and still in the growing stage, maybe gotten a bit bigger and something rubbing on them above the roost etc?
Do they free range? Is there possibly a new, low lying branch they have started to run under?

Just throwing a repetitive contact line of thinking out there

Great thinking, that never even occurred to me! now to wait for the response of Peytons poultrey