bare back & wing tops. Blue coat??

[JudyMcKinn]

I have some RIR hens who have bare backs and also the tops of their wings, from the rooster being too energetic. I am taking him out, so they hopefully will grow some feathers by cold weather. A couple of the hens backs are completely bare. I am wondering, tho I have never seen it happen, if the other hens may pluck pinfeathers the minute they appear? Seems they should be growing back a bit, even with the rooster's attentions.
I wonder if there isn't something I could do to keep the hens from doing this, IF they are. Wonder if spraying smething like Blue Coat, I think it's called, on the bare skin, would sort of disguize the feathers coming in, so they wouldn't get picked the minute a pinfeather appears. Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[dacjohns]

All I can do is offer some general suggestions. Too much attention from the rooster(s) can be lessened by having more hens, having fewer roosters, having more space.

I think Blue Kote can cause problems in the eggs. I seem to remember this in another thread. It's use is reccommended to help stop pecking and promote wound healing.

 

[JudyMcKinn]

You mean you think one needs to hold the eggs with Blue Kote? ( I DIDN'T know the difference between Coat and Kote.) LOL
Wonder what I could use, if the hens are keeping the new pin feathers nibbled off?

 

[hoosierhen]

I have the same problem with 2 Delawares. Several of my other heans are bald headed, poor girls! I no longer have a rooster, and it's been about 3 weeks, and not much feather growth noted. I had 12 hens and 1 RIR rooster- I thought that was a good ratio, but he was a horny nut job terrorist!!

 

[rooster-red]

Seperating the roo out should do the trick, it will take a little time for the feathers to start to grow back.

If you think the hens are plucking the pin feathers you could put chicken saddles on them.

 

[JudyMcKinn]

That's what I have. RIR's. 8 hens and 1 rooster, but like yours, he is a horny nut job.

Nice enough boy, never has threatened me, but seems to keep the girls busy. Sure hope they grow some feathers before winter. He is in a chicken tractor by himself now. Feel sort of bad for him--as he has never spent a night alone. He will wonder what happened.

 

[dacjohns]

The brand is Blu-Kote. Tractor Supply sells it. It is a horse treatment but quite a few folks here recommend it for use on chickens too.

I haven't found the thread but I think someone said after they treated a hen with the Blu-Kote the eggs were stained. I don't know what part of the bird was treated or why the eggs were stained. Maybe someone can chime in. Maybe you can find it in a search.

The thing about using the search engine in BYC is that you might have to use different spelling variations to find what you are looking for.

 

[silkiechicken]

I've dosed bare backs with blue kote on laying birds without a problem with eggs... just ate them and they didn't have color or anything. If you see pecking, might have to get a "hot pick" so they don't pick out pin feathers.

 

[Jenski]

If the girls have enough room and activities (ahh, depends on breed, too) they will probably not need any anti-pick. I would generally proceed in order of escalation measures needed:

1) Blue-Kote to cover bare skin and new feathers (I have never had problems with eggs here; it mainly contains Gentian Violet)
2) Some other sort of nastier-tasting Hot-Pick
3) Pine tar (I have never heard of picking problems going beyond the use of this.)

Good luck! Please let us know how your girls do once they have a rest from their overly-amorous fellow.