Bald spot - moulting or fighting?

Date sort Score sort
Three Silkies

Three Silkies

Chirping
7 Years
Jan 9, 2013
138
0
81
Adelaide, South Australia
My three sisters (16 months old) are having a leadership battle. The little black hen Lola has always been at the bottom of the pecking order, but she recently began attacking Betsy (top hen) and subdued her, conducting a successful coup. But when Carson realised what was going on, she began attacking Lola. Yesterday I noticed a bald spot on Lola's back and all her tail feathers were gone. Today she has lost even more feathers. Inside the coop looks like a pillow fight. I'm wondering if she is moulting or if Carson is pulling all her feathers out and I should remove her in case it gets worse. This pic shows her full tail feathers before, what she looks like now, her bald spot, and the coop covered in feathers. Can anyone help with advice?
 
Sorry, forgot to attach pic.
700
 
Almost sounds like a soap opera lol. Inspect Lola for pin feathers, if you see them, she's in molt. If there's some blood, that means they've been picked.
 
Hi there Three Silkies

I agree with dawg53 if you can see pin feathers she is molting.

I have 4 bantams and while the matriarch rules, there is always some bickering amongst the remaining three. #3 in the pecking order picks on #4 but #2 is friends with #4 and always steps in and puts #3 back in her place.

There is always more angst when one of them is broody. #3 is currently broody and therefore picking on #4 more than usual. She has managed to pull a couple of feathers but nothing like what you have in your pics.

That amount of feather loss, without blood, looks more like a molt. Another possibility could be parasites?

Broodiness, molting and parasites can make the gals more cranky than usual.
 
Thank you both for your replies. I can't see any pin feathers (yet), but I also can't see any blood. And even though they are fighting a lot, the amount of feathers does make me think it might be moulting. Betsy and Carson have both been broody lately. And I am ALWAYS having an ongoing battle with mites. So true about it being a soap opera around here.
 
Hi again Three Silkies

After years of keeping chickens and being vigilant with parasite treatments and coop cleaning, I recently had a week from H#$% with a mite infestation probably bought about by a visiting bush turkey and recent rains. I will not bore you with the details but I was to the point of burning the coop!
wink.png


A couple of things that I picked up in research and chatting to fellow Aussies was Neem Oil and Yates Success ULTRA Insect Control (available at Bunnings).

While I doubt any coop is entirely parasite free, the above has got mine back to manageable levels.

I am happy to provide more details if you would like.

Regards
Teila
 
Teila said:
Hi again Three Silkies

After years of keeping chickens and being vigilant with parasite treatments and coop cleaning, I recently had a week from H#$% with a mite infestation probably bought about by a visiting bush turkey and recent rains.  I will not bore you with the details but I was to the point of burning the coop! ;)

A couple of things that I picked up in research and chatting to fellow Aussies was Neem Oil and Yates Success ULTRA Insect Control (available at Bunnings).  

While I doubt any coop is entirely parasite free, the above has got mine back to manageable levels.

I am happy to provide more details if you would like.

Regards
Teila
Click to expand...


Thanks for that. It's always difficult to get advice on local products. Do you put the oil/spray on the hens or on the coop? I scrub the coop out regularly and spray with diluted Malabar wash. My hens won't let me touch them, but I put wood ash, diatomaceous earth and poultry dust in their bathing areas and hope it gets on them when they roll around. I also found a poultry vet who gave me some sort of liquid that I applied to the backs of their necks (when they were sleeping). I can't remember what it's called, but it was like Flea Spot for hens. Because I let them free range all day, I leave their run door open and then pigeons go in all the time bringing mites with them. I think the mite problem is fairly under control, but I'll try those products too.
 
GGBEAR said:
Check out my thread it might helphttp://www.backyardchickens.com/t/192598/feather-loss-red-around-the-vent-pics-posted/30#post_14501043
Click to expand...


Thank you. I had a look, but mine's a bit different. There's no blood and the feather loss is from her back (including tail feathers) rather than around her vent. I'm really hoping it's just moulting and not because the bully hen is pecking all her feathers out. I don't really have a set up to separate them, although I could try and get an extra coop if I have to.
 
thats from feather pecking caught the little huggers dgoing it trouble was each time she but over it was like bullseye lol
 

Similar threads

B
Ameraucana has bald spots on face and is shaking head
Replies
3
Views
549
Boy George
B
S
NEED HELP: Balding Hen
Replies
4
Views
880
Charles Vallentine
C
CableGriffith
Irritated Skin, Broken Tail Feathers, Red Preen Gland
2
Replies
12
Views
2K
Moonbeam0420
M
M
Fighting
Replies
2
Views
552
Yardmom
Yardmom
C
Lame foot hen
Replies
6
Views
376
Wyorp Rock
Wyorp Rock

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom