Baboon Chicken Problem....need advice...pic included!

[LittleHouseDreams]

Wow, I'm glad I'm not alone!! I know it's not a broody patch but I am glad to know about them (broody patches that is.)

City Chook: We call our girls monkey butt chickens also. My problem started all because I was giving them too much scratch in the winter. I was trying to be nice but in doing so they were not getting enough protein because they were filling up on the scratch instead of their pellets. At least that is what I was told from my father-in-law who teaches at the vet school at LSU. He consulted the poultry specialist there and they said the feather picking most likely started from a dietary problem (lack of protein.) So I cut out the scratch, separated one hen who was a bit torn up so her skin could heal, and used Hot Pick on their hind ends to curb the taste for feathers. The result was they stopped the feather picking, the sores healed but I have two monkey butt chickens. I can't wait till they molt because I am really hoping they grow back their beautiful BO petticoats.

Noelle in NE Ohio

 

[CityChook]

Well, I'm guilty as charged as well. I was doing cracked corn to help keep them warm (and because I'm a big softie), so an imbalance in their nutrition at that time wouldn't be a big stretch. And of course, as we both know, once those feathers are gone, they are hard to get back in. My girls are now 14 months old and show no signs of a molt. Hopefully that will fix the problem. Like you, I *adore* those fluffy butt feathers. Breaks my heart. Let's keep in touch -