Bald bird....

[Dora'smom]

It looks similar to some of my birds. My buff orpington looks like that from the rear, and a lot of my birds have areas that are bald. One of my birds started picking and then taught the others (they just watched and started, also). I've seen it posted many times that this is evidence of a protein deficiency (picking and eating feathers), and we upped the protein in their diet with no change in behavior. We also gave them things to play with and perch on with no change. I bought some pinless peepers and we put those on all but the EE's as one does not need it, and they won't stay in place on the other one. After doing this, there has been a huge reduction in picking, and some of the birds are regrowing a lot of their feathers. The BO is wearing an apron, as well. Her bottom still looks just like your bird's, so I suspect that we have a bird or two who have learned to pick at least some feathers despite the peepers. I don't know what to do to totally break this cycle, but maybe there are a few hints in here to give you a few things to think about. Good luck with your birds.

 

[DaKid]

Ok I've had the same thing happen to me it seems it happen more often during the colder and winter months when they don’t get out much to the run and stay in there coop and get board , anyway mine are just starting to grow back some of the feathers on there bottoms and backs , I did see some picking or eating the feathers ,and I heard that a poor diet does this and some times lice or mites , I have my birds on a high protein diet with sunflower –crack corn , millet and a few other feeds too , I have also dusted them with De and the nesting boxing and also the floor in there coop each month , So I’m thinking there a few other feather pickers in the coop when I fine who is doing this -there chicken soup .

 

[ChickenMama18]

Quote:
Thanks for responding Holly. We got rid of our plucker because of the damage she was doing so we don't have to worry about her being plucked anymore. It's been three weeks since we got rid of the plucker, but the one that was plucked hasn't gotton any better and now our banty has a werid bald spot on her chest, although you have to look for it. See pictures posted earlier. So, I'm wondering if it's possibly something else? Or maybe it's a coincidence that the banty has a bald spot at the same time the plucked one seems to not be healing? I'm not sure. I got some DE and dusted all the birds last weekend as a precaution...but I see no bugs. Sigh...I just want to make sure I'm taking good care of my birds. No one has jumped on the thread with caps and exclaimation points telling me it's somthing really bad. Maybe the plucked one just needs more time to heal? I've been watching all the birds very careflully this weekend (had four days off) and there is harmony if the flock. No new plucker has emerged.

 

[ChickenMama18]

Dora'smom :

It looks similar to some of my birds. My buff orpington looks like that from the rear, and a lot of my birds have areas that are bald. One of my birds started picking and then taught the others (they just watched and started, also). I've seen it posted many times that this is evidence of a protein deficiency (picking and eating feathers), and we upped the protein in their diet with no change in behavior. We also gave them things to play with and perch on with no change. I bought some pinless peepers and we put those on all but the EE's as one does not need it, and they won't stay in place on the other one. After doing this, there has been a huge reduction in picking, and some of the birds are regrowing a lot of their feathers. The BO is wearing an apron, as well. Her bottom still looks just like your bird's, so I suspect that we have a bird or two who have learned to pick at least some feathers despite the peepers. I don't know what to do to totally break this cycle, but maybe there are a few hints in here to give you a few things to think about. Good luck with your birds.

We went through all that too...the protein thing and such. We hung CD's in the coop to entertain them. We put cabbage out there to much on. We seperated the plucker to give her a time out and then reintroduced her (at the bottom of the pecking order then) but no change. We thought about the peepers but changed our mind on that one since they'd need it full time and wouldn't stop the behavior. That's why we rehomed the plucker. I have not seen one other bird pluck...and the others are fine feather wise. Thank you everyone who responded...I'm thinking she might just need some more time to heal.​

 

[Chickengal505]

HHHMMMMMM......OOOOHHHHHH MMMMMYYYYY GGGGGOOOODDDD bad flash back okay if that was being picked it would have healed by now BUT it hasn't soooooo mabie it wasent mites or pickers... i had a hen named violet on her back the skin looked like that before she died i'm not saying she gonna die but i was explaning the flash back thing...mabie somthing in the boxs is irritating the skin and where-as the skin is swelling up preventig feather growth...???

mabie blocking new feathers from coming in?

 

[CassiaChick]

Did you ever find out what was causing that baldness? I know it's been three years since you posted, but we now have two Ameraucanas that are balding all around their necks. No sign of mites, they're eating well and laying normally, so it doesn't seem like molting either. Just wondering if you had any insight.