Bald chest and stomach, eggs being eaten or not laying as much

[jloanderson]

Hello All,
This is our first year as chicken owners and our ladies turned one in March. They are four Rhode Island Reds.
They molted earlier this year and since they haven't returned to normal egg laying. They used to lay about 2-4 a day and now its a couple a week. I know they decrease in egg laying, but I thought they would still do pretty well for another year or so.
A couple of the ladies have small bald spots on their chest and/or stomach. One is especially bad and I am really concerned for her. Her stomach and under wings are very bald and red. I have started feeding them protein on the side of their food and returning their egg shells to the coop which they eat.
We let them roam around the yard as much as possible, but we don't have a fenced in yard and close neighbors. They're inside coop is 4' by 4' and the outside run is 6' by 4'.
I have seen one chicken try to mount another, but only once, and they seem to get along well.
Do we need to be giving them a more protein? Do they need more room?
Thanks!

 

[AmberRex]

It sounds like you have plenty of room in your coop. How long ago did they molt and please don't take offence but is their bedding clean? What I do when my birdies stop laying as well, is I give them a load of poultry fattener for a few days. That generally works as a sort of "Berocca Boost!" What has happened is several times, I have bought hens of varying breed and age and they just haven't produced very well... but as yours have been laying then I'd say that isn't the case- these don't sound like POLs that have remained POLs!

 

[RussianChickens]

Sounds like broody hens. Do they set in the nest box all day? If so its broodyness

 

[AmberRex]

Goodness yes! I must be half asleep... for some reason, I thought that they were bald on their backs! I really am not thinking straight..

 

[subhanalah]

The red skin is indicative of mites. They can overcome your hens, I would treat sooner rather than later.

 

[Eggcessive]

A broody hen will pull out chest and abdominal feathers to sit on eggs. However before treating for lice and mites, I would look all over theskin and especially under the vent area for signs of the critters or eggs. Here are some links to read with pictures:
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8162.pdf
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html

 

[Shabana]

Mites will definately reduce the egg production and can make hens anaemic. They can linger outside the coop, not wanting to go inside.
On the other paw broodys won't want to leave the coop and will lay quite flat and trance like.

The red skin would point to a mite problem to be honest.
Best wishes x

 

[RussianChickens]

Goodness yes! I must be half asleep... for some reason, I thought that they were bald on their backs! I really am not thinking straight..

Bald backs are usually from rooster overbreeding pulling out the feathers. Bald chest is broodys.

 

[jloanderson]

Thanks everyone. They have no problem leaving the coop and file out when we open them in the morning. I'll look for mites as I'm thinking that might be it.

 

[subhanalah]

Some mites are practically microscopic and sometimes red skin, itching, shaking the head or other feathers and dust bathing a lot (more than normal) is how it is diagnosed.
check in your coop in the corners, under the roosts. Some mites don't live on the bird, but feed on them at night when they are roosting.