Bare Bum in Winter

[featherhead007]

Ok everyone, here is the update on my bare-bummed Barred Rock:

1. Crop - Crop felt squishy (and her whole chest area was squishy) compared to my other chickens. Other chickens' crops were slightly hard, but slightly squishy. I don't think many of them have been eating as much now in the winter time.

2. Eating - She did eat some mealworms and solider flies, did not eat scrambled eggs or canned tuna (in water). She was eating grass when I let them free range for a bit.

3. Bum/Belly Area - Felt like my other chickens' bums and bellies, squishy, warm, no hard lumps, no apparent pain when I was poking around, no hot spots or cold spots. Her bum/bare areas are not as red as they were yesterday.

4. Feather Loss - She's losing feathers on her sides (under her wings) and all on her belly now, in addition to her bum area. I got a few photos of the feather loss areas.

5. Behavior - She did NOT want to be held at all and was scared of me. I know that holding/touching a molting hen is sometimes painful with the new feathers growing, so I tried to get as many pictures as I could without having to hold her as much (see attached photos). She was scratching and eating grass when I let them free range for a bit, but wasn't moving around as much as she usually does.
hurch
6. Poop - I was able to get 2 fresh poop pictures, see adtached. Both were slightly runny, but nothing like diarrhea.

I feel like this is a really bat, bu otherst am not sure now with the squishy crop.

Thoughts and remedies?

My barred rock,"Rocks-Anne had a very bad molt too, but did survive. she got very sick too and I had to separate her from the others. Even my church prayed for her.
She is good now, so be patient and love on her, it works

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I plan on checking her crop in the morning. I hope it is a hard molt, I feel so bad she's naked during the chilly weather!

Does anyone else have any suggestions or remedies?

If you can get her in direct sunlight, she might like that. One of mine lost all her butt feathers and would sunbathe with her butt pointed towards the sun. If no sun is available a heat lamp might work.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Thanks so much everyone for the help and advice! Everyone has eased my concerns a bit. I feel so bad for her! I don't know why she chose to molt going into the coldest time of the year, but so be it. I'll provide updates to everyone over the next few weeks as she *hopefully* improves.

I have a morning update (Saturday 14 Dec):

1. Crop was flat and empty this morning. She ate a little oatmeal (mixed with crushed eggshells) and some scrambled egg this morning, but waited until everyone else had eaten. This was odd because she's the top hen and usually hoards food. I am going out today to buy some chick starter crumbles (non-medicated), a small bag of Feather Fixer, and some Poultry Cell for her. I have added Sav-A-Chick electrolytes and probiotics to their water to help too. She got very anxious when I separated her at bed time last night to inspect her bum/belly, so I'll try separating her in the morning to get her to eat tomorrow. She has been eating mealworms/flies and scratch in the evening, but I'll see if a wet mash will work better for her. I'll also continue to try yogurt, canned tuna, hard boiled eggs, cabbage, fish leftovers, and other stuff that I know she likes to try and get her to eat.

2. She has been positioning herself in the corner of the coop, bum side facing the warm, radiant panel heater. I'm in Pittsburgh PA, so the sun has officially gone away until June of next year (haha) so there's not much I can do about getting her into direct sunlight.

3. ChickenCanoe mentioned not using layer feed now that they are not laying - what feed should I be using then? I have Tractor Supply and Rural King available in the area.

4. I also have Nu-Stock balm on its way today, so I might put some on her bum to see if that helps. Her bum doesn't look red/swollen/tender, but I will keep monitoring it and use Nu-Stock balm or Vaseline for skin protection when it gets really cold. Coop temp has been steady around 40degF and she has been positioning herself near the radiant panel heaters to keep warm, but she has been avoiding cuddling close with the other chickens to keep warm, but maybe she's extra embarrassed of her bare bum?! Haha. She's just been sitting on her own most of the time.

Again, thanks for your help everyone! More updates to come for Bare Bum Barred Rock (her actual name is Kylo-Hen but I like Bare Bum a little more now haha)

 

[micstrachan]

Hi there,
You mentioned she is normally top hen and hoards food. She may be carrying excess body fat, which can cause a host of problems. I don’t want to alarm you, but I had two die this year and when I sent them in for necropsy.I learned one had died from fatty liver hemmorhagic syndrome and the other also carried excess fat (though it did not play a role in her death.) I provide minimal treats, but last year threw a BUNCH of seed to grow pasture. I suspect that may be what made them fat. My point is.... be careful with the treats. I also provided some aloe detox in feed for a few days on and off over late summer land early fall in hopes of supporting their livers. Just throwing some ideas out there. I know you said her abdomen didn’t feel swollen, but it looked slightly so to me in the photo.
I don’t mean to be preachy; I just hope I can help someone learn from my mistake.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I don't know why she chose to molt going into the coldest time of the year, but so be it.

They can and do. My favorite molted heavily in single digit weather last year. I kept her inside in a cool room until it warmed up a bit.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Micstrachan - no worries about being preachy at all! I welcome any advice since I'm relatively new the keeping chickens This is my first flock and I've had them for 2 years now.

She is fatter than the rest of my flock, so you could very well be right that she is carrying excess body fat or in the beginning stages of fatty liver failure. Are their articles on weight loss for chickens on BYC that I can reference? And what is aloe detox? A special supplement I can mix into my feed or water?

The flock's diet consists of layer pellets (available all the time), free choice grit and oyster shell, a veggie in the morning before I go to work (cabbage, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, veggie scraps, watermelon if it's hot outside in the summer) and in the evenings during winter months only, I give them scratch/worms/flies (about 1.5 shot glasses worth for 5 chickens). They also free range for bugs/worms/grass when I am home and I am outside to supervise them (I have a fox den over the hill and lots of hawks around my house).

If there is anything I can do to help her lose weight, I am all ears for additional advice on supplements, diet, exercise, etc! I want her to be happy and healthy

 

[aart]

I am going out today to buy some chick starter crumbles (non-medicated), a small bag of Feather Fixer, and some Poultry Cell for her. I have added Sav-A-Chick electrolytes and probiotics to their water to help too.

Some 18-20% starter or 'all flock' will be good, forget the feather fixer.
Make sure she has plain water too, but one day of EL can help.
Don't deluge her with a ton of all kinds of foods and 'meds'.
Keep it simple.

 

[micstrachan]

Well, it doesn’t sound like you are over indulging them. I agree there is no need for aloe detox supplement unless you suspect fatty liver (I had a good reason.)

Really just lack of treats and exercise is what you can do. I added a bunch of enrichment to the run (leaves, ramps, roosts, two grow boxes for greens) in hopes they’d be more active while confined to the run.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Crop was flat and empty this morning. She ate a little oatmeal (mixed with crushed eggshells) and some scrambled egg this morning, but waited until everyone else had eaten. This was odd because she's the top hen and usually hoards food.

I am going out today to buy some chick starter crumbles (non-medicated), a small bag of Feather Fixer, and some Poultry Cell for her. I have added Sav-A-Chick electrolytes and probiotics to their water to help too. She got very anxious when I separated her at bed time last night to inspect her bum/belly, so I'll try separating her in the morning to get her to eat tomorrow.

Feather Fixer is just layer feed that has 18% protein.
I would stick with the Chick Starter or use an all flock/flock raiser feed if you are wanting extra protein and less calcium.

My BR is top hen too and is usually the food controller, but during molt, she defers to the others. Molting does change behavior, but usually no worries there, mine is back to making sure everyone knows their place.

Yes, Your's very well could have a reproductive problem or FLD in addition to molt. As mentioned previously, her rear looks full-ish. Could be excess fat, some fluid or signs of something else to come.

 

[Oolala]

So do I !

This is the latest photo of Daisys bottom, the white bits on her feet are not feathers but bandages for bumblefoot surgery