Chicken without feathers and blue/green!

[Cecilia]

Okay, so I have yet anther problem:

One of our chickens has been losing feathers from the top of her back, by the base of her tail. At first, it wasn't so bad and I thoght it was just a moult. But this was about a month ago, and recently, it's gotten worse. The other hens are pecking at her, and she's lost even more feathers, and today I noticed that part of it was this blue/green colour! At first I was terrified and thought it was mold, so I tried washing it off, but then I realized it was the colour of the actual skin! This is really freaking me out. What should I do? I also have another hen who starting losing feathers about amonth ago, and she hasn't grown themback either. It's pretty cold out, and the skin is all red. I have no roosters, so it can't be that. was thinking of putting vaseline on the bare areas, to protect them from frosbite, but I'm scared that if I do that I'm somehow impeding the feather growth. I'm also putting lots of high-protein in their mashes. Lots of peanut butter, some yoghourt, some garlic. They have a laying mix...is it their diet? they're still laying and it's december, and Ihave no light in their coop....


Okay!

If someone could offer help, that would be WONDERFUL!I'm really nervous.

 

[BlueMoon]

Does all else seem ok with her, other than balding and getting picked on? Do you know how old she is

I haven't a clue how to help, other than those nifty saddle guards that a few of my girls are sporting.

Good luck -

 

[silkiechicken]

If you can get some blue kote or antipeck, spray that on the birds. The blue green, a bruse?

 

[Matt A NC]

Have you watched them closely. You may a Hen mounting like a Rooster. It is known to happen in an all hen flock. The dominant hen will start acting like a Rooster.

I would recommend a chicken Saddle if you can afford one or if you can sew one yourself.

The blue/green sounds like brusing, which would point towards the hen being mounted by someone inexperienced. Becareful, I had a hen get tore down both sides by claws from an inexperienced Cockerel. by the way: She got well with some TLC.

Matt
Morganton, NC

 

[verthandi]

What color is the hen? If she is dark colored sometimes the new feathers before they come back out thru the skin will make their skin look odd colored. You should see parrot babies.....some of them have a sick colored green skin before they feather out.

 

[BlueMoon]

But do hens often peck at a hen who's moulting?