Bald spot and sore under chicken's vent

[fustercluckfarm]

Our 10-month old buff Orpington Ethel has a bald spot and sore on a bloated backside. She is acting normal, hanging with the flock and eating, but hasn't laid an egg for two days. We gave her a sitz bath thinking she was egg bound but I'm not sure that is it. She ate some yogurt after the bath and we have her quarantined inside. The photo shows her bald spot and sore after the bath so it is very red but before the bath it was normal skin toned but swollen. Thanks in advance for any thoughts you may have.

 

[Nutcase]

I had a chicken who died recently, her bottom looked just like that. We treated her for egg binding, but it didn't work so like you, I'm not sure that was the problem. It's good to hear that she is eating still, but have the other chickens been pecking her? It may not be that, but it's possible, looking at the sores below her vent. Also check for mites/lice.

 

[jayjay]

Hi, i also have a chicken looking like that although watching them i think i have worked out why. To start with 2 chickens were bare round the vent and i saw one of the others pecking them. Almost like she was putting them in their place. Recently we have put them into a larger area which is totally enclosed so they go in and out of coopes as they please. Now the feathers are starting to come back. I am thinking they were bored and so the boss lady was asserting her authority. Now they have more ground and more to entertain them. She does not seem to pick on them now. Not sure if this helps you.

 

[Jakrzz]

Just last month I discovered the same thing in one of my leghorns. She was missing quite a few feathers by her vent, but no sores. After watching the group for a little while, I saw that the big cheese of the group was pecking her for no reason! So I took some chest run and dabbed a little on her exposed skin and they stopped pecking her! The feathers have all grown back and she's all set now.

 

[Back2MyRoots]

Dealt with a similar problem myself last night, though our girl had some pasting around her vent, so I'm wondering if she was picking the feathers out herself to get the poop out? She took a nice long soak and I cleared away all the poop and left over matted feathers to reveal a very naked hiney! Hope her feathers grow back soon. It's awfully cold here to have such an exposed rear!

 

[fustercluckfarm]

Ethel update - she spent the day with the flock and I thinking pecking might be part of the problem. No idea if it is the cause but definitely contributing to not healing. Cleaned the coop and put down a new layer of DE in case it is lice or mites.

Thanks for the feedback. I'll let you know any updates.

 

[fustercluckfarm]

Another Ethel update - her feathers seem to be growing back after covering her butt with peck no more. She still isn't laying. Now she seems to have a new problem with her feet which have a pink hue to them in between her toes and on the back of her leg. Our local farm store didn't know what is could be. Any thoughts?