Chicken's Vent Ripped Apart, Don't know what to do, (Graphic)

[Eggcessive]

You could try the pinless peepers on just the three wyandottes. I had 4 in my mixed flock, and removed them because mine were bullies. But I think the problem is a combo of not getting outside to free range, overcrowding, and possibly the different feed. The pine tar is sticky and tastes bad, and has healing properties, so a good choice for an anti-pecking ointment.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Wyorp Rock
I have a cage I could use for 1 chicken, but if I stuffed 3 healthy, perky, chickens in there, I think it would be a blood bath in short order.

Spent a while just watching everybody today, and haven't seen any picking; even after I gave them a small plug of new grass and the newly injured Sussex got the root ball and started running.

If I can narrow it down to 1, that will work, but I really can't think of a way to pull out 3 and house them.

I've heard "Pinless Peepers" mentioned before, should I maybe just rig up the flock with those? Though, I wouldn't get it till next week if they have to be ordered online.
Or would those just create a whole new world of problems?

It would be good if you can observe them more. It could be happening at roosting time too. If you can figure out the offender, the remove her.
Pinless Peepers is an option, you may want to go ahead and order those, but continue to be proactive and monitor them to see who is doing the picking.

 

[HennyPenny2019]

The Brahma just died.

Oh no .... so sorry.

 

[RidgeCreekFarm]

@HennyPenny2019 Thank you!

@Wyorp Rock and @Texas Kiki

We scooped most of the bedding out of the run, and didn't find any ways for something outside the coop to get in- so I think we've ruled out at least any big predators. In all the panic, I forgot to mention that we did find a mouse nest in the straw bales when moved those out of the run a few weeks ago. I checked for mites at the time, and found some dirt around a couple of their preen glands, but nothing was moving and they had just made themselves a damp dirt hole to play in.

I'm thinking it might be a bug issue, (perhaps brought in by Mice?) based on finding a few more bald areas on 3 other chickens, and a tiny scab at the base of another's feather. On the lighter chickens (Brahmas and Buff Orps) I'm seeing something similar to the picture in this article: https://www.tillysnest.com/2011/06/you-might-have-mites.html/
I still haven't seen a single bug like it shows in the pic- but the dirty feathers and the yellowish scabbing look very similar. Here are some pics of the last 3 discoveries:

The last 2 are wet from being sprayed with Vetericyn before the pics were taken, when we found them they were dry and scabby. With how small the areas are, I'm starting to think they might be pulling out their own feathers. These spots aren't really visible without digging down into their feathers- but just to be safe we saddled the Pic 1 scrape/scab thing, and Blu-Kote'd the last 2.

So does this look like what bugs would do? Or does this look like plucking from another chicken or themselves?

I was gone all day yesterday, but late Thursday I sprayed everyone with a bottle of Manna Pro Poultry Protector I happened to have on hand. I also sprayed the roosts and the top portion of the coop, but didn't have time to do a full clean out because it was getting late. That's on the agenda for today.

If this looks like bugs, what kind? I was going to order Elector PSP- but read it doesn't work on Lice, and I don't know what this is!

Thank you all so much for your help!

P.S. I got the Pine Tar. Is it OK to apply over the Blu-Kote?

 

[Kiki]

Rats have been known to eat/feed on chickens too.

I wonder if the mice may be doing them same or if there are rats sneaking in at night too.

 

[Kiki]

Martin's PERMETHRIN spray

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018
• 6
• flies lice mites permethrin

Just get some easy to use, no mixing required permethrin spray and spray them if you aren't sure about mites and or lice. It won't hurt.
Rats and mice do carry mites.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It looks like scabbing from picking to me.
The damage your other birds suffered, especially the one the died, that was from other birds picking the wound further open.

Yes, you can put pine tar over the blukote.
At this point, I don't believe it would hurt to treat them with a Permethrin based poultry spray or dust. You can find that at Tractor Supply.

The white chicken's rear end needs tending. That wound looks very mushy below the vent. Give her a wash up and post a photos of what that looks like.

 

[RidgeCreekFarm]

@Texas Kiki
Thank you! I'll look into rigging up some sort of trap box that the chickens won't be able to get into. And maybe grab some mouse repellent. I'm pretty sure the mice chewed off some Sussex and Wyandotte feathers over winter- some of their back feathers had been "Mowed" to about half length and I found the other half lining the mouse nest.

Will get the spray later on today! I have a Bonide Permethrin Dust-On Powder, but heard that the dust could cause repository issues. Would that be good to treat the dirt floor of the run with, or if they rolled in it would it cause an Over Dose? Also, is there an Egg Withdrawl with Permethrin? Some things I read said yes for 21 days and others said there was no need. We finally got up to 10-7 eggs a day after a winter of 2-4 eggs !

@Wyorp Rock
The spot under the Brahma's vent in that pic was solid, dry, and crusty- I just got the phone out after she was sprayed a tad excessively. She's rather flighty so I wanted to get something on it before she squirmed away. I Blu-Koted it after the pic, (And accidentally dabbed her vent too . Hence, blue eggs.) I'll see if I can maybe wipe her and get another pic when we spray her with Permethrin or Pine Tar her. I'd trim up her feathers, but they are giving her some coverage right now.

I'm thinking that I could potentially get some sort of fencing to wrap around the coop and keep the Wyandottes under that. I'd just have to rig up some sort of access door to get water and food to them. Hmmm.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Texas Kiki
Thank you! I'll look into rigging up some sort of trap box that the chickens won't be able to get into. And maybe grab some mouse repellent. I'm pretty sure the mice chewed off some Sussex and Wyandotte feathers over winter- some of their back feathers had been "Mowed" to about half length and I found the other half lining the mouse nest.

Will get the spray later on today! I have a Bonide Permethrin Dust-On Powder, but heard that the dust could cause repository issues. Would that be good to treat the dirt floor of the run with, or if they rolled in it would it cause an Over Dose? Also, is there an Egg Withdrawl with Permethrin? Some things I read said yes for 21 days and others said there was no need. We finally got up to 10-7 eggs a day after a winter of 2-4 eggs !

@Wyorp Rock
The spot under the Brahma's vent in that pic was solid, dry, and crusty- I just got the phone out after she was sprayed a tad excessively. She's rather flighty so I wanted to get something on it before she squirmed away. I Blu-Koted it after the pic, (And accidentally dabbed her vent too . Hence, blue eggs.) I'll see if I can maybe wipe her and get another pic when we spray her with Permethrin or Pine Tar her. I'd trim up her feathers, but they are giving her some coverage right now.

I'm thinking that I could potentially get some sort of fencing to wrap around the coop and keep the Wyandottes under that. I'd just have to rig up some sort of access door to get water and food to them. Hmmm.

I would wash the Brahma's rear end in warm soapy water, gently scrub that crusty spot off it you can. I would worry that it will get infected. A wound like that below the vent, to me, is from picking. You need to get a good look at that.
If your temps are cold, dry her very well, use a hair dryer if you need to.

Get some mice traps and get rid of the mice while you are at it. You can make small covers with hardware cloth so the chickens don't get into the traps, make sure they can't be knocked over, traps will break/damage toes if the chickens get in them.

 

[RidgeCreekFarm]

@Wyorp Rock

Okay, I'll see what we can do about the Brahma's backside. All three crusty/ scabby wounds look like that, should we de-scab all of them? I was worried about making it worse.

I know that the wounds are from picking, I'm just trying to figure out if they are picking themselves because they itch from bugs and then everyone else joined the party, or if they are being picked by a bully. Trying to protect from either scenario.

Haven't seen any mice since we removed all the straw bales, but plan to set out the traps as a preventative.