Feather discoloration, loss

[Richard Collette]

Not sure why most of my birds have developed a discoloration of and loss of feathers on their backs right above the tail. It's the same on 10 of 12 birds. See attached pics.. Advice on this?

 

[coach723]

Do you have a rooster?

 

[lazy gardener]

How old are they? Rooster in the flock? What are you feeding them? Have you done a mite/lice inspection?

 

[Richard Collette]

Do you have a rooster?

No Rooster.

 

[Richard Collette]

How old are they? Rooster in the flock? What are you feeding them? Have you done a mite/lice inspection?

7 months old - No rooster - Checked and don't see any mites or lice at the roots of the areas where the feathers are affected . . .

 

[junebuggena]

Since there is no rooster, it could mites/lice or it could be feather picking. What are you feeding?

 

[twilightgecko]

hmm/. thought for sure you would say a rooster was about.. tho i have seen my more dominant female mount the lesser hens.. and you don't see any mites/lice.. waiting to see what others say now.. sorry

 

[Richard Collette]

No rooster. They are fed layer mash with a bit of crushed oyster shell added along with scoops of scratch now and then.

Sounds like I should do another inspection of their backs for lice or mites again. Having never checked for that before, what exactly am I looking for?

 

[Richard Collette]

The areas of concern are in the same locations exactly on the back of the birds - there is the typical heirarchal pecking going on but nothing that would cause this kind of consistent feather loss. . .

 

[twilightgecko]

perhaps something like this?