Can someone help me with this???

[NurseDitmyer]

We have 27 chickens and about half have had bare butts for 3-4 months now. There are a couple other one's with other missing feathers. What could be causing this?

 

[sourland]

Most likely several birds are feather plucking/eating. Some feel that it is a result of a need for more protein in the diet, and that may be so. I also think that it may start as boredom and become a bad habit. Many provide dry cat food as an added protein source. Those birds that are in best feather are most likely the culprits. Some people also use Pinless Peepers to break/control the feather plucking.

 

[normanack]

I've read that using a product like Blu-Kote can discourage pecking at raw, red skin. I don't have actual experience with this, but there are horror stories (some on byc) about hens cannibalizing each other after picking off the feathers. It can get very bad.

I made a mix of Bag Balm and gentian violet (the blue stuff) for putting on sore areas -- it seems to slide right off, though, so I can't recommend it.