Bare backed hen

[mommapearl]

I have a hen that is about 4 months old. I think she is the next in line to our large rooster. I went out this morning I noticed all the feathers on her back were gone. They looked like they had been plucked out. She was alert and was looking around and eventually got up and walked around. Two of the patches on her back had a lot of what appeared to be very small larva crawling all over it. I am wondering if it could have been the rooster? We are new to raising chickens. I put some sevin dust on the mites to kill them. Does she need to be secluded for safety? Will it harm her standing in pecking order? Need help! thanks!

 

[mommapearl]

rooster is also very arrogant and is charging me a lot.

 

[chicmom]

That's a pretty young hen. The rooster may have picked her as a favorite and is riding her back until she's bare. If you don't need that rooster, I would recommend the frying pan for him. He will do this to other hens too. If she's got mites or lice, this also can cause the bareness...she may be pulling out her own feathers because she's itchy and uncomfortable. If one hen has mites or lice, the whole flock might, so you'll need to check them all, and probably dust them all, and clean up their area fully, applying 7 dust and new bedding as well......

Good luck to you!

 

[mommapearl]

Yeah, this has happened overnight. She is the only one that I have seen him try to mate with. She has secluded herself to the fenced in area and is laying around. The sevin that I put on her seems to have killed a lot of the larva already, but there are still some living. We will definitely work on the coop and check the others. The rooster has seemed to start targeting me though which is concerning. I take a broom out with me to keep him from charging me. He and the hen are the same age. I am seriously considering the frying pan for him. He is very protective of the flock. Any recommendations as to how to handle him until he meets the frying pan? thank you so much!!

 

[pgpoultry]

I have two bare backed hens related to over enthusiastic Brahma boys.

They were getting a bit sore,too (maybe the boys' feet, maybe sunburn), so I have just fitted their poultry saddles and they are much more comfortable.

You may want to consider saddles for the 'chosen ones' once the infestation is improving. Just a thought, they weren't small maggots on the back of the hen were they?
If so an iodine soak followed by antiseptic cream would be helpful.

sandie

 

[loverOFchickens]

I read that you should try the stuff they use on sore baby bottoms to heal it and it worked on my hen. Takes a while tho.

 

[mommapearl]

I am thinking now that it is a mite problem. Our younger rooster now is developing the same problem. Will treat with sevin for now to try to kill whatever is there. Big Tricky will be a tough one I think! Thank you all for your help!