feather loss on 3 hens

[friedokra]

My wife noticed 3 of our hens, a buff and 2 barred rocks are loosing feathers on their back, just behind where their neck meets the main body, if you can imagine the part of their back that is sort of horizontal when they are walking, near the neck though. Inspected one of them and got this pic, not very good I must say. Saw no evidence of mites, just feather loss and some redness on the skin. We have a white brama rooster in the flock too. Could he be the culprit? All are right at a year old.

 

[eggbert420]

Over breeding maybe?

 

[friedokra]

What exactly does that mean? The rooster breeding them too often?

 

[eggbert420]

Yes. What is your hen to rooster ratio?

 

[Angels Eggs]

I have the same thing going on in my flock. I thought maybe they were starting to molt. I have 13 hens 7 months old and 2 roos same age. All are RIR's.

 

[friedokra]

1 rooster to 6 hens

 

[eggbert420]

The rooster grabs them there to hold on while he breeds. One rooster can handle 15 hens. Young rooster are not as experienced so they are a bit rougher.

 

[21chicken]

I am dealing with what appears to be the same problem, and just lost a hen this week. I'm seeing the same thing on some of the others now andI really think it isa lice problem! I had previously dusted her with DE but that didn't take care of the problem. Good luck and check out the treatments for lice.