We adopted some chickens but I don't know their breeds!

[peacefulpuls8]

The two with the bare back rooster damage,  really could use  Neosporin (NO caine) on them   and  chicken aprons to help protect and allow feathers to grow back.  It  hurts just to see them like that.    Darn roosters

Thank you for the recommendation! They came to me looking like that just a week ago. Is the Caine free Neosporin something I can buy over the counter? Admittedly, I don't even know what a chicken apron is. :-/

 

[donrae]

If you didn't get any roosters, I wouldn't worry about an apron or saddle, etc. Hens can be pretty bare backed and do just fine, especially when removed from the rooster.

I'd give them a higher protein feed than layer, though. Not sure what you're feeding, but layer has about the lowest protein levels. Go with grower, something in the 19-20% protein range for a sack or two. Feather growth takes a lot of protein. Or, supplement with meat scraps, cat food, things like that.

On that Dark Cornish---do her two sides match up? It's hard to tell from the pics, but she almost looks like one of those birds with two different sides spliced together--a chimera, maybe? The wattles just don't seem to match up. Could just be me?

 

[peacefulpuls8]

If you didn't get any roosters, I wouldn't worry about an apron or saddle, etc. Hens can be pretty bare backed and do just fine, especially when removed from the rooster. 

I'd give them a higher protein feed than layer, though. Not sure what you're feeding, but layer has about the lowest protein levels. Go with grower, something in the 19-20% protein range for a sack or two. Feather growth takes a lot of protein. Or, supplement with meat scraps, cat food, things like that. 

On that Dark Cornish---do her two sides match up? It's hard to tell from the pics, but she almost looks like one of those birds with two different sides spliced together--a chimera, maybe? The wattles just don't seem to match up. Could just be me?

Donrae, they are even on both sides. There's a main wattle hanging down in the center and two smaller ones on either side that hang next to it. You can see the smaller one just on the one side because you're not looking at her head on. That being said, she's been breathing like she has fluid in her lungs since we got her...kind of gargly. Should we empty her crop? Thank you for the advice on the bare backs chickens!!

 

[Shezadandy]

Thank you for the recommendation! They came to me looking like that just a week ago. Is the Caine free Neosporin something I can buy over the counter? Admittedly, I don't even know what a chicken apron is. :-/

Yes, just plain Neosporin- "Original" -- you don't want the kind with "pain relief" which has the numbing agents of the "caine" family in it.
Hensaver.com has aprons/saddles if you find the other girls continue to contribute to their bald backs- there are other less expensive ones on amazon or other sites too if you like.

Also thanks for giving rescue hens a new home!

 

[Shezadandy]

Thank you for the recommendation! They came to me looking like that just a week ago. Is the Caine free Neosporin something I can buy over the counter? Admittedly, I don't even know what a chicken apron is. :-/

Chicken feed wise, Purina's Flock Raiser is 20%- Nutrena's All-flock and Feather Fixer are both 18%--- both higher than standard layer pellets, but be sure to offer oyster shell or ground egg shells for added calcium- always good to have some on hand, usually the most cost effective is a 40-50lb bag, otherwise they're sold in I think 4lb bags (sorry if that's redundant from earlier in the thread- computer is running slow so I didn't go back and look). Flock Raiser, All-Flock and Feather Fixer don't have the added calcium because growing chicks, roosters, and other species shouldn't be eating that much extra calcium.

Enjoy your new friends!