Bare spot on one hen's back

[kwgrid]

Hi! I apologize in advance if this is an over-asked question. We have four hens and one roo. The roo and three hens are SLWs. The smallest hen (one of the SLWs) has developed a small bald spot with a red chapped looking area on her back right at the base of her tailfeathers. I haven't seen her OR the other hens pecking at her back. What could be causing this, and is there anything I should do about it? They chickens have a lot of room in the coop, and are allowed out to free range in a large back yard two or three times a week. I haven't noticed anything like it on any of the other hens. Thanks for your help!

 

[PandoraTaylor]

She might be your Rooster's Favorite!!!
you can try a chicken Saddle to protect her back while the new feathers grow in.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=189098

or do a search above on BYC there are many people who make them, I forget which one, but one of our members has patterns on her BYC webpage.

 

[PandoraTaylor]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=4031-Patterns

This one give you a pattern to make your own...

 

[Kittymomma]

I agree with Pandora, she's his favorite and with only four hens you'll really need to get her a sadle or seperate her from the roo before he does more damage. The hens can get some nasty gashes from being overmated, especially once the feathers are gone and bare skin is exposed.

 

[msdoolittle]

I rescued many hens and 2 huge Cochin roos from a really, really destitute situation. Anyway, all of the hens had NO back/saddle feathers, nor most of their neck feathers (and some had most facial feathers gone). They were being totally picked on by the roos. FINALLY, after six months, and an entire molt, they all look gorgeous. It will take time, but your hen should be back to normal with some intervention!

 

[kwgrid]

Thank you sooooo very much for the insights!!!! I will definitely check out the pattern and make her a saddle. Poor baby! She's smaller than the others and the roo is quite large. And he tends to stand on them for a bit after he's done his duty, if you know what I mean. I've seen him just stand there and step up and down on them. Other than doing that sort of annoying thing, he's an excellent rooster. He takes good care of them. He "alerts" extremely well, checks on all the hen's whereabouts when loose in the yard, and gets them into the pen and on the roost at dusk. He's good to them in all ways but the "mating game". He even gives his share of crickets to them when I hand feed them. Fancy that. He might eat one but then he drops the others for the hens to get. Amazing.

Thanks again!!!