Buttercups missing feathers - why? Photo included

[advantagegs]

We have 3 Buttercups and all 3 look like this one. When they were younger they seemed to be on the bottom of the pecking order but I have not seen anyone pecking them lately, but they do not get their feathers back. Someone was here and wondered if it was mites. (Yikes!) We checked on line to see what to look for and went thru her feathers and can't see any eggs or bugs of any kind. Do you think this is just the others pulling their feathers out or something else? I thought it was weird that it was just these 3 that had this problem.
It looks painful. I sure hope it isn't. Thanks for your help!

 

[PepsNick]

Please fill out the following:

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use

 

[sourland]

Are the hens in a pen with several roosters or larger hens? It may be overbreeding from roosters or the rest of the flock may be pecking at them and eating feathers as they develop. It does not look like a mite or louse problem. Is there any way you could provide them with a pen of their own?

 

[pontoosuc]

OK, you could have posted my EXACT problem:

Three Buttercups, same problem:

We have 16 chickens, no rooster, all the same age, all purchased together
and have been together for all of this time. Only the Buttercups have this problem.

Lot's of space: 10x16 indoor, 20x40 outdoor run.

Good food (mix local grain guy with commercial layer feed), have grit and oyster shell
available, have water and sun.

They act normal, they lay eggs, they just are missing feather in the exact same place!!!

 

[advantagegs]

Hey, pontoosuc - That's weird! I wonder what's up? We too have a big coop and big fenced yard with good food. 1 Roo but he doesn't seem to be interested in them and he only "services" the females that will squat for him. He's a very non-aggressive Roo. We are clueless. We do have an extra pen we could put them in but figured if we did that then once we mixed them again, they would get picked on since they had been separated. They seem very health and like yours, continue to lay, etc. Maybe someone else will have some insight.

 

[pontoosuc]

hope so will keep in touch with your post here....

 

[pontoosuc]

Anybody have a clue?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe the other hens are doing this.

 

[pontoosuc]

good question about the other hens!

I'm with them for an hour or so in the morning and then again in the afternoon.
I've never seen the other hens doing anything, but then again, it sure could be happening.

Just hoping that the feathers start to come in before it gets too cold.

 

[ChickenWisperer]

I agree. This looks like feather picking from the small picture, severe featherpicking at that. Watch your hens carefully, for a few hours - if there are ANY hens being unnecessarily aggressive, attacking others and pulling their feathers/eating them, cull them or sell them. If you absolutely can't stand the thought of them going, trim their beaks so they can't pick at others.