The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[subhanalah]

Yeah, but there is no roo.

maybe it's a bully hen on your hands that's "mating" your girl since there is no rooster to keep them in line?

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Hey, y'all....
I'm not freaking out at all, but this is getting pretty bad looking. I have looked at each and every hen. No nits, no crawling bugs. I've been out in the middle of the night--no mites. I am sure this was started by the top hen (a leghorn) because the bottom (barred rock) hen's feathers from her back at the base of her tail and her rear were picked off, first. Then the next from the bottom (also barred rock) started showing loss, then this one (wayandotte) and lastly the second from the top, also a leghorn. They are not scratching. They are not preening overmuch. They are all seemingly happy, healthy, energetic. After the pictures, I put coconut oil on her back and sprayed some bluekote because it looked like she was getting some little scabs under her higher back feathers. To top it all off, I think she may be starting to molt--her breast feathers are looking ratty and I'm finding down around the coop. Does anybody have any suggestions, other than praying for a good spring molt and start over again? They all just look so ugly.

7 out of 13 of my hens look exactly like that and the neck, cheek and beards are thinned out. One hen has turned out to be a naked neck

No bugs or roosters and I feed a lot of protein.
No one hen is doing it, they all seem to be doing it to each other.
I've put blu-kote and nu stock and now a saddle on each.
Maybe bad genetics??

 

[Leahs Mom]

Wow @mlowen No roo....

Hmmm. Did you say that you see them picking her feathers out? I have one that looks like that last year and getting it again this year. I just assumed it was roo overuse but there are a 10 ladies for him.

Then one night I saw one of the BRs picking her feathers out while they were on the roost just before dark. I wondered if the roo got is started and they kept pecking at her. Not sure but very frustrating...

I'm considering a hen apron myself for this girl. She was totally bare like that until after molt. Then they came back in beautifully and now its back. I thought she would be sunburned on that back. And I wondered if they would come back as she was as bare as a plucked chicken in that area.

 

[Leahs Mom]

On the pasty bottom...might also try adding a bit of animal protein to their diet in addition to the probiotics. When they are with a momma, if allowed to range, they will be given all kinds of "animal" protein in the form of insects and whatever else she can find. It is only an opinion..but it is my opinion that the high carb diet and veg. protein contribute to that problem.

 

[mlowen]

7 out of 13 of my hens look exactly like that and the neck, cheek and beards are thinned out. One hen has turned out to be a naked neck   
No bugs or roosters and I feed a lot of protein.
No one hen is doing it, they all seem to be doing it to each other.
I've put blu-kote and nu stock and now a saddle on each.
Maybe bad genetics??

Misery love company. I really feel better after reading your comment. I, too, feed a lot of animal protein. I even wonder if they're doing it to themselves at this point. I haven't seen but a tiny bit of actual feather picking and I never see them being mean to each other. Maybe it's when they are roosting, at night or during "naps." I wish someone would say, "Oh, it's blah blah and if you do X they will feather out great." (And it would be true.)

 

[Leahs Mom]

All three coops have their own runs that can be secured individually.
The whole run area is a very large fenced and wire covered area, probably 60 X80 feet. We have lots of predators here.
My question is, can I put a light in the middle raised coop and will the 20 three week old chicks be ok there or should I put them in the broody coop with a light there? I am worried that they won't be able to figure out how to get up and down the ramp.
Again, I would love to hear any opinions!

Did anyone chime in on this?

Is there any reason that you would have to open the door on the larger coop? Could they just stay inside for a few days to get used to it, then get to go out after they know where home is? Then you could teach them how to get back in and be sure they know how at more leisure.

 

[hellbender]

7 out of 13 of my hens look exactly like that and the neck, cheek and beards are thinned out. One hen has turned out to be a naked neck

No bugs or roosters and I feed a lot of protein.
No one hen is doing it, they all seem to be doing it to each other.
I've put blu-kote and nu stock and now a saddle on each.
Maybe bad genetics??

Keep that NN...It's likely the best bird you have.

I'm behind on the thread...is there any chance you might be a bit over crowded?

 

[mlowen]

Keep that NN...It's likely the best bird you have. 

I'm behind on the thread...is there any chance you might be a bit over crowded?

I've worried about that. There are only 5 and they are in a 10x20 foot coop & run combo. I let them out into a larger run for a short while in the evenings and for longer during weekends. I'm building "tunnels" to get them to other fenced areas, again on weekends. By ordinance, they can't be totally outside a fence and I can't afford to fence my whole yard. I've hung cabbage and put scratch in a "treat ball" to give them something to do besides pull out feathers. I feel like a less than stellar flock master.

 

[misbhaven]

I know everyone here likes repurposing things...I realized today that I could easily fence an area for some extra run space in between my coops is probably 8 ft wide very long and L shaped i had an old drop side crib so,,took a rail section attached it to one coop took an end cut off the legs out a post in the ground.. 2 scrap pieces of 2x4 and instant nice looking low fence with a gate my garden fence is right there on the other side but i gained about 300 sq ft of extra run space..shared by a few coops but still....10 min..maybe $5 for a gate latch and hinges i had..

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
On my girl with the naked back, it was that way all summer and all fall. She was the ONLY one and I didn't see the rooster mating her excessively. They came back in after molt with all the others and now getting bad again.

I'm beginning to think it may not be from the roo and maybe, like you are thinking, them doing it in the evening on the roost.

Are you against trying a saddle/apron?