7 month old is this Molt, Gleet, Mites? What is this?

[Lizandherchickies]

Hello All,

I’m a first time chicken owner with 7 RIR. I’ve had them since a day old and I’ve had to learn a lot on my own. I’m proud of how they have grown and I do my best to always learn more of their health and behavior.

They all lay an egg a day (approx.) and I haven’t had any illnesses, mites, lice and as far as I can tell, no one has molted. I’m in the suburbs of Chicago and winter is near. Today I noticed one of my hens bottoms is bare. No other chicken is experiencing this. I have a big hen who always gets a poopy but that I help her maintain so I expected this from her but to my surprise it’s on a different chicken. What could this be?

 

[Lizandherchickies]

Hello All,

I’m a first time chicken owner with 7 RIR. I’ve had them since a day old and I’ve had to learn a lot on my own. I’m proud of how they have grown and I do my best to always learn more of their health and behavior.

They all lay an egg a day (approx.) and I haven’t had any illnesses, mites, lice and as far as I can tell, no one has molted. I’m in the suburbs of Chicago and winter is near. Today I noticed one of my hens bottoms is bare. No other chicken is experiencing this. I have a big hen who always gets a poopy but that I help her maintain so I expected this from her but to my surprise it’s on a different chicken. What could this be?

Hello All,

I’m a first time chicken owner with 7 RIR. I’ve had them since a day old and I’ve had to learn a lot on my own. I’m proud of how they have grown and I do my best to always learn more of their health and behavior.

They all lay an egg a day (approx.) and I haven’t had any illnesses, mites, lice and as far as I can tell, no one has molted. I’m in the suburbs of Chicago and winter is near. Today I noticed one of my hens bottoms is bare. No other chicken is experiencing this. I have a big hen who always gets a poopy but that I help her maintain so I expected this from her but to my surprise it’s on a different chicken. What could this be?

i wanted to add this isn’t really at her vent, it’s a bit lower but not totally on her underside

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

I dont see any lice eggs on her underside so it might not be that.

Tagging the experts.

@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock
@azygous

 

[azygous]

How old are your chickens? Old enough for their first molt? I have a Black Star that is beginning her first molt, and she's decided to go bald in several areas at once, one being her butt. She's eighteen months old.

 

[Lizandherchickies]

How old are your chickens? Old enough for their first molt? I have a Black Star that is beginning her first molt, and she's decided to go bald in several areas at once, one being her butt. She's eighteen months old.

Mine are only 7 months old. They hatched around February 26th

 

[Lizandherchickies]

I dont see any lice eggs on her underside so it might not be that.

Tagging the experts.

@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock
@azygous

Thank you, it’s nighttime here now and I went out and tried to examine their vents, legs and under their roosts for mites. Didn’t see any movement.

 

[azygous]

One of the other chickens may be picking her butt feathers. It's far more likely to be the cause of feather loss than mites. You need to sit and observe for an hour or two some afternoon. Once you identify the culprit that is shaving her butt feathers, you can get some pinless peepers and put them on the culprit. This often will stop this behavior.

 

[Lizandherchickies]

One of the other chickens may be picking her butt feathers. It's far more likely to be the cause of feather loss than mites. You need to sit and observe for an hour or two some afternoon. Once you identify the culprit that is shaving her butt feathers, you can get some pinless peepers and put them on the culprit. This often will stop this behavior.

Thank you, I will definitely take the time bow that I noticed it. Knowing my girls this wouldn’t surprise me but I have to observe to figure out who

 

[valnycum]

Hello All,

I’m a first time chicken owner with 7 RIR. I’ve had them since a day old and I’ve had to learn a lot on my own. I’m proud of how they have grown and I do my best to always learn more of their health and behavior.

They all lay an egg a day (approx.) and I haven’t had any illnesses, mites, lice and as far as I can tell, no one has molted. I’m in the suburbs of Chicago and winter is near. Today I noticed one of my hens bottoms is bare. No other chicken is experiencing this. I have a big hen who always gets a poopy but that I help her maintain so I expected this from her but to my surprise it’s on a different chicken. What could this be?

I have 7 RIR chickens as well. Mine are a little over a year old. One of my hens looked like that about a month ago. She did have gleet. That can be treated with monistat. However, she had a larger problem. I Check under her vent and found she had a soft water filled belly. She had Ascites. Water belly. We ended up draining the fluid. She's doing a lot better now. She's even laying eggs again.

 

[Lizandherchickies]

I have 7 RIR chickens as well. Mine are a little over a year old. One of my hens looked like that about a month ago. She did have gleet. That can be treated with monistat. However, she had a larger problem. I Check under her vent and found she had a soft water filled belly. She had Ascites. Water belly. We ended up draining the fluid. She's doing a lot better now. She's even laying eggs again.

Thank you, I will look in to both of these possibilities