Balled Behind

[mbicky]

My White Sussex hen lays six times a week. she's the best layer in the flock. The hen is a year old very healthily, but has lost all her feathers around her behind. She lost them six months ago and they never grew back. its not mites and all the other hens do not have the feather loss. Any body have any ideas why?

 

[luvmypets]

Welcome to the BYC flock!

Im not familiar with your hens issue but you can try this.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/2/managing-your-flock

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

This could be feather plucking. Others are pulling her feathers out and eating them. Make sure they are all on a good diet with enough protein. Break up boredom with things to do like hanging veggies, seed pecking blocks, mirrors, things to climb on. And also enough space. 5 square feet in the coop, 10 square feet in the run. Chickens will pluck feathers when they are hot, cramped and bored. If you have a ladder for a roost and she is above them, they will definitely enjoy plucking out her feathers.

Other than this, mites or even a fungal infection can cause feather loss. If you don't think it is either of these, you might post this in our emergency section for more help...https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

I hope you can get down to the bottom of this soon.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

X2, it may be bullying. Mirrors, increased space, toys, dirt, leaves, roosts and stumps are all great ways to help prevent pecking. Also, be sure they are fed the correct feed.

 

[drumstick diva]

Try hanging a cabbage head so the flock can keep busy with that. Or give them things to explore and work their chicken brains. I have heard there are chicken toys you can stuff with food like the Kong toys for dogs. When the birds knock them around, food falls out & the games begin.

Chickens also love the remnants of a turkey or chicken dinner. They will eagerly clean all the meat off a carcass- they don't care if it was a relative or not.

Some chickens even like to chase a ball, others like a "flock block," or even some actual tree branches to roost and climb on.

 

[gander007]