Feathers coming off top of back-above wings and around vent

[tuxedoman]

Feathers coming off top of back-above wings and occasionally around the vent, Treated 2 times in 8 days for mites and that did not help??? See my pics. Any ideas would be appreciated. PS pictures are in B/C upload link if you can get there another way.

We have twelve hens in with 2 roosters. All are the same age just about 1 year old. They have a coop with a run that is about 13 feet by 9 feet by 8 feet. But we let them out into a bigger area 100 feet by 50 feet (fenced in) almost every day. All the hens seem to have some problem with lost/picking (?) feathers, one is particularly bad in the vent area. We thought it was Northern mites so we dusted them twice within 8 days and cleaned the coop out completely twice and dusted everything also. We think it might be one of the roosters causing a problem as he seems more aggressive. If you want I can email you pictures as I am not allowed to post them here.
Online
Thanks Jeff

 

[scottishgal]

looks like rooster damage to me, I have 14 hens and 1 roo and still had to put a hen apron on one to let her heal after he skinned her side by accident. I hear that they mellow with age , but I had two roos and they caused alot of stress reclaiming the hens all day .

 

[tuxedoman]

Thanks so very much. We thought it might be the roos causing stress and problems. Hope your hens are now okay too.

 

[mistymeadowchicks]

Thanks for posting the question. I've got a couple hens w/ similar damage on their wing feathers--quills w/ no feather. No signs of mites, so hopefully it's just warm weather/ spring and a boy's fancy turns to . . . Hope they settle down soon--Poor girls!

 

[sourland]

The backs and tops of the wings are showing breeding damage from the roosters. The one picture even shows the dirt from the roosters' feet. If you want fertile eggs, one rooster would be sufficient for that many hens. If you don't plan on hatching any of the eggs, remove both of the roosters.

 

[LauraG]

Well, My chickens behinds look like this, and I DON'T have a rooster. I also dont see any mites. I think they may be moulting. Mine are about exactley 1 yr old.