Bare bums!

[chickenchicky11]

I have 2 BSL, 2 Golden Comets & 2 RI reds. One of my BSL has lost almost all of the feathers on her bum. All of my others are also
starting to lose their feathers on their bum as well. I have checked for mites. I don't see any. I don't have a roo. What in the world is happening????

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[Braxton Brigade]

http://hencam.com/henblog/2010/05/of-lice-and-hens/

What about lice?

 

[heatherlaw]

Does it look like the feathers were plucked out? I had a hen who just loves to pluck and eat the fluffy bum feathers. Some extra protein and a few days in solitary did the trick. If you can just observer your ladies for a while and see if you notice any picking

 

[Braxton Brigade]

Does it look like the feathers were plucked out? I had a hen who just loves to pluck and eat the fluffy bum feathers. Some extra protein and a few days in solitary did the trick. If you can just observer your ladies for a while and see if you notice any picking

Also agree with Heather. If one bird doesn't have the suspicious bare bottom then she could be your culprit haha.

 

[chickenchicky11]

My girls don't have lice or mites. But these feathers are not growing back. And now almost all my girls are losing enough feathers that all their bums are bare. Can anyone give me an answer???? Someone has to know what this is!!!!

 

[chickenchicky11]

And I don't see anyone pecking at each other. They are all losing feathers

 

[chickenchicky11]

...

Also agree with Heather. If one bird doesn't have the suspicious bare bottom then she could be your culprit haha.
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They are all losing feathers now. I don't believe it's another girl pecking. And it's not mites or lice. I'm lost.

 

[chickenchicky11]

http://hencam.com/henblog/2010/05/of-lice-and-hens/ 

What about lice?

Nope. No lice or mites. I don't know what to do. This has been going on for months now and I can't seem to get an answer or make it stop.

 

[chickenchicky11]

Does it look like the feathers were plucked out? I had a hen who just loves to pluck and eat the fluffy bum feathers. Some extra protein and a few days in solitary did the trick. If you can just observer your ladies for a while and see if you notice any picking

I don't know what it would look like for the feathers to be "plucked" out. What should I look for?

 

[heatherlaw]

I don't know what it would look like for the feathers to be "plucked" out. What should I look for?

The feathers would either be broken off or completely pulled out. Feathers that have been plucked usually leave a red pore behind, just like when we pluck hair out. If it's another hen pulling them out then some of the surrounding feathers may look ragged from being pulled on.