Bald spots near Tail

[Autumn Acres]

3 of my 5 chickens have these bald spots above their tails. I have not witnessed them pulling these feathers, and I have also not noticed a large number of feathers in their coop? So today was the first day I've let them outside to forage in a while (I leave for work in the dark, and come home in the dark, so I can't take a good look at them sometimes!) and that's when I noticed this. I have 1 EE Rooster, 1 Buff Orpington hen, 1 Barred Rock hen, and 2 Americauna hens. The bald spots are on the rooster, the buff orpington, and one of the americaunas.

Please help -- I'm new to chickens, so I need all the help I can get.

I live in MT, and the weather is below freezing everyday. They live in the barn, under a heat lamp, but it's still cold in there! They are all 7 months old, and they are still laying eggs daily (I thought that would stop with cold weather, but it has not!) Their feed is Purina layena, and about 5 days a week, they get a cup of cracked corn. Is there anything I'm missing in their feed that might prevent this feather loss? Do I need to worm them? What am I missing? And more importantly, where can I pick up the items you're suggesting!

Thanks!

 

[jeslewmazer]

You might want to try adding a little more protein to their diet. Personally I use catfish food, but others use: cat food, scrambled eggs, tuna, cooked ground beef, cooked chicken, cooked fish, calf manna (which is pretty expensive, but a little goes a long way), yogurt, other types of protein pellets, and other forms of protein. If they are eating each others feathers they might not be getting enough protein, each bird is different.

And try posting in the Feeding & Watering Your Flock section about what you might be missing from your feed, and you will probobly get many various answers. Everybody has their opinion on the best way and types of food for chickens, but each flock is different. Many elements can affect what is a good balanced diet for your birds. Then you can find what is good for your chickens.