Bald backsides?

[Kenshan1]

I'm not sure what is causing this. This is around their oil glands & on their back. We do have a light in their roost area that my husband put in the ceiling, I think the roosts are too close to it. When we tried to put in an actual heating light in it the chickens stood under it & melted a few feathers. Luckily we watched so we took that bulb out. It has a bulb that still puts off a little heat but not hot enough to melt feathers. I'm thinking this feather plucking might be they are getting too much light or they are still too close to it that its bothering them? I have looked for bugs but don't see any. I now have a Golden lace bald on her back & a Cuckoo marans, both pictures shown. The Cuckoo still has feathers to hide most of it. I'm going to have to look over the rest. They are late July - 1st wk of Aug 2010 chickens.

Shannon

The Cuckoo's back side.

The golden lace.

 

[ScotianChick]

Your goldlaced is being overmated. My rooster is a culprit of that. You may want to think of getting her a chicken saddle.

 

[Kenshan1]

Quote:
But I have no roosters. I have 13 chickens, all hens. I have sat out there & once in a while someone will peck at another but no mounting at all. All I can think of is the light is too close. Maybe I have too small of space for the amount of chickens? My night roost area is small, area we keep the light. I have see them peck alot more over their favorite nest box. I have 6 boxes but they only really like 2.

Shannon

 

[Miss Lydia]

when they have light on them all night long they tend to peck each other because they are not sleeping. Do you have Bluekote? if not get some and apply where the feathers are missing it will disguise the area and hopefully stop the pecking, and I would turn off the light.

 

[Kenshan1]

Quote:
Would a red light be any better? I was planning on turning it off come spring but like today it was 19 degrees. A little cold.

Shannon

 

[weekend farmer]

I have three hens just like that with no roosters....they are the bottom of the pecking order. I have a light that is on a timer, I am adding 4 hours to the day. It is not the light....you can put blue coat on, but that usually only helps when they pick a open wound. They sell fabric that will fit over the head and the wings and covers the back. I have never tried them but heard it works...I have just figured part of the territory.

 

[Netherworldtaken]

Our red looked like that earlier this winter and we sort of freaked out and posted about it. not too long after that all the feathers came back and others came off. turns out it was our first molt. I was used to much smaller birds that molted at a faster pace with smaller feathers. the spikes eventually sprouted what looked like pom poms and them poof, feathers. poor thing looks absolutely silly for a while but now she is fine. I dont know if that is what is occuring with yours, mine was the head chicken and never gets pecked.

 

[dkosh]

My hens have been looking that way too. I have a red heat light and no roos. I have DM earth for them to dust in. The bedding gets changed weekly. They are also free range. I don't see any mites but that is what I'm thinking it is. I've been Blu-Koting and using pine tar. I've been wondering myself what the heck is going on.

 

[Kenshan1]

I thought molting would happen around their hatch date/ birthday kind of thing? Or is it soon after starting to lay eggs? The Golden lace was the first I noticed this balding problem on, she is one of the youngest & does get pecked at a bit. I thought it was just that but now that others are doing this had me more concerned. They all started laying around late Dec through Jan.

Shannon

 

[Netherworldtaken]

my red was born in feb last year and molted in dec