Bald Butts

[MotherofHens5819]

We have six hens and we noticed that at least 3 butts are being plucked…we have tried giving them toys and things to peck at in the run and we let them out when it’s good weather, our coop can handle 14 hens so there is more than enough space, places to roost, we are concerned that one ore more are going after butt feathers , help?

 

[Byrd gal]

Check for parasites and put hen healer on the bare spots ,it seems to deter mine if you are using a light at night turn it off so they will be less likely to fuss

 

[rosemarythyme]

Photos of damage? Photos of set up?

 

[aart]

Photos of damage? Photos of set up?

This^^^ with dimensions of coop and run.
...and what all and how exactly are you feeding?

 

[McChooky]

I was giving mine too much corn this winter and now have 2 with bare butts .I'm adding nests, poop boards and roosting bars and inspecting them all this week .They can be brutal to one another

 

[Callender Girl]

One of my coops has six pullets who have been together since I brought them home last spring. All was well until about earlier this winter. I now have six bare-butt girls. When the first lost her back-end feathers and was bleeding, I thought it was a medical issue and took Lucille to the vet to make sure it wasn't illness or parasites. Nope.

The girls -- who all fancy the same nest box -- all lay with their heads against the back of the box and their butts exposed toward the center of the coop. Although it's not the only nest box, it's the only one they want to use. Often, two girls will try to wedge into the same box, leaving their backends as targets for whoever is in line next.

I agree, boredom may also have played a role. There were two serious blizzards in January, where it was impossible for them to go into their run. Now, with spring-like weather, the girls are out and about with the rest of the coops' residents, and I can see feathers coming back in.

Initially, I was applying Vetericyn to the featherless backsides daily. Lucille also got antibiotics because she was actually dripping blood from her wounded butt.

Hope you get your girls figured out!

 

[MotherofHens5819]

This^^^ with dimensions of coop and run.
...and what all and how exactly are you feeding?

The coop has a run and can house 14 chickens comfortably we have six, there is a roosting bars and it’s just been brutal

 

[MotherofHens5819]

One of my coops has six pullets who have been together since I brought them home last spring. All was well until about earlier this winter. I now have six bare-butt girls. When the first lost her back-end feathers and was bleeding, I thought it was a medical issue and took Lucille to the vet to make sure it wasn't illness or parasites. Nope.

The girls -- who all fancy the same nest box -- all lay with their heads against the back of the box and their butts exposed toward the center of the coop. Although it's not the only nest box, it's the only one they want to use. Often, two girls will try to wedge into the same box, leaving their backends as targets for whoever is in line next.

I agree, boredom may also have played a role. There were two serious blizzards in January, where it was impossible for them to go into their run. Now, with spring-like weather, the girls are out and about with the rest of the coops' residents, and I can see feathers coming back in.

Initially, I was applying Vetericyn to the featherless backsides daily. Lucille also got antibiotics because she was actually dripping blood from her wounded butt.

Hope you get your girls figured out!

We keep hosing them down with blue coat, one of our girls butt is really wounded we might have to somehow separate her but that’s going to be hard to do. It’s cold and rainy here so letting them out all day is tough too. We just purchased some chicken toys that dispense treats that will hopefully give them something to peck but they are actually going after eachother now and eating the feathers.

 

[MotherofHens5819]

Check for parasites and put hen healer on the bare spots ,it seems to deter mine if you are using a light at night turn it off so they will be less likely to fuss

Thanks no parasites it definitely then pecking eachother but now it feels intentional nd eating of feathers it’s brutal and at this point we literally are doing everything but separating six damn chickens.

 

[MotherofHens5819]

Does anyone have any idea how the pine tar works? We want to try that