Feather loss/red around the vent, pics posted

[rebrascora]

It might help if you post some photos of your girls. It may be that they have a reproductive issue going on. What breed are they? High production birds like red sex links and production reds are particularly prone to such problems once they get beyond 2 years old. Infections of the oviduct and internal laying can both cause abdominal swelling, feather loss and eventually death. Usually they will have soiled feathers below their vent, but if they preen them to clean it off, they can become bald as the poop sticks like cement and feathers come out before it comes off. The skin will often be inflamed from the poop aggravating it. Does any of that sound like a possibility? Usually they will walk with a wide stance when these problems are occurring and the abdomen becomes more swollen. Cupping your hand between their legs on a night when they are roosting and comparing one to another should make it obvious if there is something like this amiss.

 

[herman 48]

I have, in one of my three chicken houses, one Australorp roo, 13 Australorp hens, ad two Easter eggers. The roo has lost his feathers on his butt and on his hips and the top of his thighs. The skin is reddish on the lower part of the bald spots and around the cloaca (butthole). If the cause were mites or mice, or rats, or lice, the other 15 chickens would have the same problem. We tried to put some Corona ointment on the bare spots, but we haven't seen any feathers grow back. Could it be he's having too much sex and it's a case of testosterone-induced male baldness? Or too much friction with his ladies' tailfeathers? He looks and acts healthy. Could the redness of the exposed skin be due to sunburn? After all we live in Southeast Alabama, temperatures have often been in the mid-nineties, and when it's not cloudy the sun beats down mercilessly. Could he be allergic to the mash I give the hens? I buy the Dumor brand and Layeena, the kind for egg layers, and of course he eats the same stuff I give the hens. I also give them all scratch seed, the organic five-seed variety. I add to the water a calcium solution, vitamins, and apple cider vinegar. I hardly ever give them table scraps, and now and then I give them either Wonder Bread or spaghetti with some olive oil that I cook for themwithout any sauce or spices. The hens are doing well and unloading dozens of eggs, and, as I wrote above, their plumage is perfect, thick, smooth, and shiny. He's the only mangy-looking one... I have never seen any of the hens pecking at him.

 

[Tracycakes]

My rooster is n this shape .what can i do?

 

[rebrascora]

@herman 48

Firstly I would stop the calcium supplement in the water. Water is essential to life so he has to drink it and by adding calcium to it you are forcing his body to process excess calcium that it does not need. There is already too much calcium in layer feed for a rooster without increasing that further. I'm not saying that this is the cause of his baldness, but long term it could be significantly more prejudicial to his health than just some missing feathers.
How much scratch do you give them and between how many chickens? Scratch can also cause serious health issues, although it is probably more of a risk to the hens, putting them at risk of fatty liver as well as reproductive problems like prolapse and internal laying. It should not be given at a rate of more than 5% of their daily intake and scattered over a large area so that they have to work for the calories they get from it, otherwise there is a risk they get obese and suffer the above mentioned ailments which can prove fatal.

How old is your rooster? Could he be moulting early? Any sign of pin feathers coming in? I agree that the redness may be exposure to the sun.

 

[herman 48]

Thank you, I will follow your advice.

 

[HAPPYCHICKENLADY17]

I have the same problem with one of my white plymouth rock chickens, she is on purina layena pellets, she gets oatmeal mixed with plain yogart every morning.......i have never seen another chicken pluck at the vent area..i do wash the vent area frequently, just started using baby shampoo........her poop is a bit watery, but has some solids...been giving them vitamin water and electrolytes...is there something i can wash her up with???

 

[FeatheredFeetBuffBrahma4]

So my Barred Rock had the same problem as mentioned in the pictures shown. I sprayed her with some anti fungal and bacteria spray, cleaned her, and put some stuff called green goo on her, and now she looks a little better. I also dusted and sprayed her for mites/lice.

 

[FeatheredFeetBuffBrahma4]

I have the same problem with one of my white plymouth rock chickens, she is on purina layena pellets, she gets oatmeal mixed with plain yogart every morning.......i have never seen another chicken pluck at the vent area..i do wash the vent area frequently, just started using baby shampoo........her poop is a bit watery, but has some solids...been giving them vitamin water and electrolytes...is there something i can wash her up with???

I just used water on a paper towel, but regular soap will work fine too. I'm not sure about baby shampoo, I haven't used that before.

 

[Michelle Vlahovic]

I don't mean to doubt, because indeed I don't doubt that you looked very carefully. But the parasites that frequent that area of poultry are very very tiny, nearly microscopic. I'd look again very carefully, even up and down the shafts of the feathers.

We'll need a little information - like what are your girls eating exactly (and how much of each food percentage wise), what are their droppings like (solid greenish brown with white on top, runnier but about the same, like chocolate pudding more than occassionally, orangey in color, etc, at all green and frothy or any bubbles in them?) Are you using any vitamins/electrolytes in the water, or nice clean plain water?

Whenever I see reddened vents like this, I always suspect something like a yeast/bacteria imbalance. The first thing I would do is supportive: give them some probiotics in their food to start with. Some vitamin A/D/E also wouldn't hurt. You can get Vitamin E in a capsule an dmix with their food, or wheat germ oil - a capful per four cups of food mixed in well.

If you'll answer these questions, we can help.

Wow who would have thought poop could tell us so much? Not related you sound very knowledgable, what are your thoughts on DE mixed into food and sprinkled in with coop shavings for preventative and keeping chop dry during wet months?
Also what do you giver your chickens in addition to regular feed, regularly.
Actually anything you would like to offer would be awesome!

 

[Kellow1]

I realize these posts are from 2009 but I hope that every one knows by now NOT to use Seveb Dust as it has been banned from chicken use!