Crazy feather situation - I need some help to identify!

[lollimama]

I'm new to chickinhood -in fact today we just inherited our first two hens from some friends along with all the necessities (coop, feeders, etc. etc.). We were forwarned that one of the hens was pecking at the other and so she looked kind of bad. Well here is a picture...and after searching around here I'm not convinced it's from pecking? All the pecking mentioned here was on the back (where Rosie's feathers are thick still). Her bum is totally bare too and red. What a bummer! She looks like she was recued from a gutter somewhere, I'm just not sure what to do. The other hen is looking great - full feathers etc. I know this all started a while ago (maybe a few months) and from what I remember they said the other hen was pecking at their other hens too (that were consequently eaten by their family dog - hence the reason they were so anxious to give us all their chicken goodies for free!). I'm afraid that this could be lice? or mites? But wouldn't the other hen show signs as well? I do believe that she has been laying still - although not recently after the trauma of another friend being lost to the dog and of course now a move. I've looked around on here and it seems like she looks horrible in comparason to the other ailing chickens I've seen pictures of. I really need help diagnosing this!

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[CinnamonQueen12]

Could be a turken? Or maybe a golden buff that lost some feathers in a fight?

 

[lollimama]

Ha! That's so funny you say that becuase I was thinking it looked like one of my brother's turkens But no, I'm pretty sure she said it was a Buff Orpington. And I did see it with all it's feathers on about 9 mos. ago and it was beautiful...and out of the two (the other one is a blue sexlink??) this one is the friendliest. I could see the other one being a bully but I'm worried that it's more than that. It seems like severe feather loss....thanks for the quick reply! It's just helpful knowing someone is out there listening

 

[CinnamonQueen12]

I'm always quick to reply (as long as I'm online) because I hope that if there is ever a severe emergency (God forbid!) that someone will remember my quick help and swiftly come to my rescue with an answer. But anyway, I've seen Buff Orpingtons before and they are beautiful! I hope all the feathers grow back on yours and it once again looks amazing! Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[lollimama]

Will do, thanks!

 

[lollimama]

To update and bump, she did lay an egg this morning but off her perch and it's broken. My husband and son say they saw her getting pecked in the tail by the other chicken this morning. Could this just be pecking? Seems really extreme but maybe I just haven't been around the block.

 

[okiedrifter]

she needs to be sprayed with blue kote as long as it stays red the other hen is gonna peck at it.....also make sure they are getting a balanced laying crumble....and maybe buy some frozen corn on the cob and throw one in their pen to give that one hen something else to pick at.....but blue spray/blue kote for sure ASAP

 

[lollimama]

Ok! I think that is my plan as of now. Also I'm thinking of taking the offender out and putting her in a separate pin for a while. Since there are only two of them we were planning to add two more this week. I talked with someone who said she thinks if I do that it would be good to keep the mean girl out of the mix till the three others are buddies, then re-introduce meany to the three and see how it goes. I did find out from the previous owner today that the meany (Hilda - appropriate name) had been pecking/picking at the three others before they died (from the dog attack). Also, to clarify, there are no pecking/bloody sores, it's just the feathers being lost. I will do the blue kote tomorrow when the farm store is open.

Oh and I did examine her up close today and can't see any sign of bugs. Thank goodness! Although, I'm not sure, this might be a more difficult problem to deal with.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

It's possible the feather picking is a nutritional deficiency. Try adding some sunflower seeds to their diet. It will help feather regrowth. And definitely BlueKote. Spray is quicker but I found the dauber- bottle is more lasting.

 

[lollimama]

Oh yes, and I had read on here somewhere that adding protein can help? I'll try the corn thing although I think it's happenning at night/early morning that kind of thing - on the roost more than out and about from what I've observed. I've got some sunflower seeds I'll throw out there though - that's helpful! In your guy's opinion, does it look like pecking is the problem?