Bare Butt - Orpingtons

[blacklab]

Our Buff Orpingtons (4 hens 1 rooster) were raised by us from the egg. We love them and they are great egg layers. But our "first born" started out with a quarter sized bare spot below her vent and now in a matter of weeks, it is the size of her whole butt! I am horrified! They are on grower feed and have oyster shell on the side. I give suet about once a week for a treat and they have a swing (which they ignore!). The thing is, we never see anyone picking at her! Everyone else seems fine! We have been spraying Vetericyn on her once a day (even though it says to use more often-she's hard to catch because of her rooster boyfriend!) and nothing seems to be happening - been doing this for a week now. I have looked closely at her and see no signs of lice or mites - although we've never had them, we've only had chickens since July, but I've seen pictures and looked under her wings and don't seen anything. They have 2 nesting boxes and coop big enough for 15 hens with a large run for daytime. We are baffled and dismayed at her pretty fluffy butt being gone! Help!

 

[Eggcessive]

It might be good to look at how much room you have for the 15 hens and a rooster, how much protein they are getting, and if they are getting out in the yard to free range. Winter is hard, especially if they have to stay inside more, and they can get bored and feather pick each other. Is the one lower in the pecking order? They should be getting 20% protein chick starter/grower until laying age, and you can either keep them on flock raiser 20% if you provide crushed oyster shell for layers, or put them on 16% layer feed. The higher protein helps if they are pecking and eating feathers. Some find that ointments (pine tar, vaseline, or Bag Balm) might be sticky and help to prevent the pecking. Nustock cream from the horse supplies also is good and healing. The bad taste may help.