bloody butts

[donpintozzi]

I recently started raising four egg layers. This am when I let them out of the coup one had a lot of blood on the butt. It looked like the others were picking at it.

What can I do to stop this ???and how bad is this ????

 

[OR4-hmom]

It can get really bad. You need a no-pick treatment, something like Blu-Kote, not sure on spelling, most farm supply stores carry something that tastes really bad to stop the others from going after the blood. I had to seperate my brahams from the others for about a month until they got some feathers back.

 

[hrhta812]

I wonder what got them started picking at her bum in the first place - does she have a dirty looking bottom? I would examine her vent area to see if there is something else going on there. Hope she is okay!

 

[Rebeccak91]

I am having the same issues and beyond frustrated. I have 6 Rhode Island Reds that are around a year old. Recently, my girls have been losing feathers and I assumed they may be molting (even tho it's January). THEN last night I had one with a bloody butt. I separated it and doctored her wound (which in a days time seemed to be healing) with Blue Lotion when I got home from work today. When I went out to check on the rest of the group, I found them attacking each other and 4 out of the remaining 5 have bloody butts as well. UGH!!!! The only one without seems to be the bully. I had to return the quarantined one to the group, sprayed all the bloody areas with Blue Lotion, removed the bully and have now quarantined the one with the worst wounds. I wish I could separate them all so they can heal but I don't have enough pet carriers for this. Should I be doing anything different? I am a newbie and have only had my girls for almost a year and have never had a problem before now. My husband changed their food a week or so ago and they don't seem to like this very well....could this be part of my issue?? Did the food start them losing feather or pecking? I have put straw in their outdoor area and a seed block so they don't get bored an pick at each other but I'm not sure what more I can do. Any other suggestions?? PLEASE HELP!!!