Chickens with Bare Bottoms

[bietsch624]

Has anyone had problems with Chickens loosing all of their feathers on their bottoms? I bought some chickens via the mail from a hatchery and a lot of these girls have bare bottoms. They don't seem to peck at each other; their bottoms are just bare. I thought once they went throught their first molt their feathers would come back, but they haven't. I am starting to feel this particular hatchery has less than adequate chickens. Most of these girls eggs also have meat spots in them. All chickens we have gotten from the local farm store have never had the same problems.

 

[Snegurochka]

How old are these chickens now? Meat spots increase with age, but you don't need to worry about them anyway; most of my brown egg layers have always had them.

Sometimes my hens will pluck their own feathers when they're broody, but this is more on the stomach area. The rooster will also pluck their butts sometimes to help his aim, I guess. Could they be plucking each other when you aren't looking?

 

[bietsch624]

The bare bottomed girls were the rooster's favorite. Is it possible they won't grow back after he's pecked them out? He's been gone for a while now. The chickes are about 18 months now.