Feather loss and infection in vent area - please help!

[Vera26]

Hi there. We have a small flock of 2 Barred Rocks, 1 Cuckoo Maran, and 2 Araucanas. All chickens have been having some feather loss around the vent area, but the Barred Rocks have it really bad as well as some poopy butts and infection (please see photo - infected area is on the lower left of the bald patch). I believe this is due to recurring mite problems in our coop. I clean it out regularly (we have a litter system with PDZ where we scoop poop daily) and treat the chickens regularly with DE and sprinkle DE around the coop and on the perches. It's been really rainy lately so I've been trying an essential oil spray instead of the DE. Once a year in the spring I do a thorough clean and spray the coop down with permetherin to kill the mites. But the keep coming back and it's really bad this year. Maybe it's not mites but something else? It's weird that just the Barred Rocks are like this, although all chickens have some feather loss. Anyone have any ideas of what to do? I feel so bad for our chickens but also feel like I'm doing everything right!

 

[nuthatched]

DE doesn't often help mites and is a respiratory and skin irritant for you and your birds.
Get some permethrine based powder or spray to treat mites.
It looks more like she's being picked.
This is caused by diet, boredom, tight conditions, etc.
What's your birds diet and coop size for how many birds?

 

[Vera26]

They have a hen house that is 12 SF, and a coop protected from the weather that is about 75 SF and then they have a run that is about 250 SF. This is for five birds. They've got plenty of room. I do wash poopy butts from time to time and when they are drying I put Blue Kote on to prevent pecking. I haven't seen the hens peck each other but I have seen them preening a lot which suggests mites to me.

 

[Eggcessive]

Gosh the vent area is really pecked. Can you separate the pecked hen in a dog crate with food and water? Watch how the flock is interacting. Are they bored? Do they need to get outside to free range? Vent pecking can lead to death, if the abdomen is pierced open or it the intestines are pulled out. Some breeds can be more aggressive. Is there a lot of light inside the coop where they lay? I hope that you can find out what is going on. Pinless peepers are used by some on the hen that is doing the pecking, and may be an answer.

 

[nuthatched]

They have a hen house that is 12 SF, and a coop protected from the weather that is about 75 SF and then they have a run that is about 250 SF. This is for five birds. They've got plenty of room. I do wash poopy butts from time to time and when they are drying I put Blue Kote on to prevent pecking. I haven't seen the hens peck each other but I have seen them preening a lot which suggests mites to me.

That's great. What's their diet?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

some poopy butts and infection (please see photo - infected area is on the lower left of the bald patch). I believe this is due to recurring mite problems in our coop. I clean it out regularly (we have a litter system with PDZ where we scoop poop daily) and treat the chickens regularly with DE and sprinkle DE around the coop and on the perches. It's been really rainy lately so I've been trying an essential oil spray instead of the DE. Once a year in the spring I do a thorough clean and spray the coop down with permetherin to kill the mites. But the keep coming back and it's really bad this year. Maybe it's not mites but something else?

I agree, it looks like quite a bit of feather picking.

NuStock cream applied to the bare areas may help deter picking.
You mention that there's infection? Is so, then you want to prevent the others from picking until she heals up.
Good suggestions from @Eggcessive I would follow those instructions.

If you have mites, a one time spray of Permethrin won't rid the birds or housing of them. You'll want to treat both the birds and housing in 5-7 intervals for several weeks. Make sure to clean out housing and spray in nooks/crannies, in nesting boxes and on roosting bars. Mites mainly hide in crevices during the day and come out at night to feed.

 

[Vera26]

Just a follow up here. Turns out the problem was a serious worm infection and vent gleet. When I treated the worms this inflammation all got better. Now things look really good. Whew!

 

[Sally PB]

I'm glad you got it figured out and taken care of. Thank you for the update!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm glad she's doing better!
Thank you for the update.