2.5 y/o hen bald around/under vent

[christychick]

My 2.5 year old Barred Rock's butt was dirty and matted, but once I cleaned her up we could see that she's missing most of her feathers and almost bald around and under her vent. She's able to eat and drink and I think she's laying, but she's walking almost with a stagger, and her feathers are rusty looking. She's also picking at her own chest feathers, and it looks like she's trying to pull out whatever she can reach. Our other 3 hens are fine with no problems. Does anyone know what's wrong with this one and what to do about it?

 

[sourland]

Have you checked her for mites, and are you certain that her flock mates are not feather pecking/plucking her?

 

[christychick]

Have you checked her for mites, and are you certain that her flock mates are not feather pecking/plucking her

thanks for the reply and welcome! I haven't noticed the other hens bothering her or mites but I'll check again. It's only her bottom/stomach and it looks terrible--like molting, but she already molted in October. She's sitting down now while everyone else is scratching around, which doesn't seem like a good sign. If it's not the other hens or mites, any ideas what it could be?

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

thanks for the reply and welcome! I haven't noticed the other hens bothering her or mites but I'll check again. It's only her bottom/stomach and it looks terrible--like molting, but she already molted in October. She's sitting down now while everyone else is scratching around, which doesn't seem like a good sign. If it's not the other hens or mites, any ideas what it could be?

Do you have a picture of the affected area?

 

[Kiki]

X2 I'm checking her for lice and check the coop at night with a flashlight for mites.
Also have you ever dewormed your flock?