Feather Loss and Sore on Hen Breast area

[OliveChicken]

Hi,

I noticed this on my Red sex Link hen two days ago. She’s 2 years old. Eating, drinking, acting normal. Anyone have an idea of how to help this. Hoping it doesn’t get worse.
Thanks!!

 

[ChickNanny13]

Have you checked for mites/lice? Is she laying? Sitting in the nest box longer/broody? What do you have in the nest box for bedding? Is she roosting?

Looks like how broodies pluck feathers to line the nest yet she's awfully "red". I see pin feathers so it's growing back, is she molting? The "sore" is possibly be from not enough bedding in the nest box or if she's roosting the bare skin against the roost. You could put Neosporin (without the pain relief) on the spot.

 

[Eggcessive]

Is she roosting? Chickens can get breast blisters on their keel bones when they spend a lot of time on the floor lying down, instead of roosting at night. I had a young cockerel in a large pen with 2 others who were bullying him. He spent all day and night on the roost, and the pressure caused a breast blister. Any constant pressure can cause a reddened area, and that can become an abscess. So I would clean it with betadine iodine or vetericyn and make sure if she is sleeping on the floor at night, that the bedding is clean and dry. Try putting her on the roost if she isn’t getting up there herself.

 

[OliveChicken]

Have you checked for mites/lice? Is she laying? Sitting in the nest box longer/broody? What do you have in the nest box for bedding? Is she roosting?

Looks like how broodies pluck feathers to line the nest yet she's awfully "red". I see pin feathers so it's growing back, is she molting? The "sore" is possibly be from not enough bedding in the nest box or if she's roosting the bare skin against the roost. You could put Neosporin (without the pain relief) on the spot.

Thanks for your suggestions. I went outside to look at her tonight and she’s on the roost. Caught her in the act of preening that area. I think it just might me mites
The second pic is of one of my buff orps. She had a few tiny black bugs on her. Guessing if one has them then they all do.

 

[fivehorizons888]

Thanks for your suggestions. I went outside to look at her tonight and she’s on the roost. Caught her in the act of preening that area. I think it just might me mites
The second pic is of one of my buff orps. She had a few tiny black bugs on her. Guessing if one has them then they all do.

were you able to resolve this issue? Can you let me know what you did and if it resolved the issue? I'm dealing with similar feather loss patterns. Thanks!