Hello from Costa Rica

[TropicalChick]

Hi! Im new to chicken keeping - 2 years. Right now I have 8 hens. I live in the Central Pacific area of Costa Rica - moved here 4 years ago.

I dont know the breed of my chickens but Im posting because one of my fat happy hens has large dry pieces of skin coming off her back and I cant find any info - see the attached picture...otherwise shes acting totally normal and theres no redness or inflamed area ...

...Ill post pics of my hen in a little bit maybe you guys can help me id the breeds?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Howdy! Welcome to BYC!
You are going to learn so much here!!!!
Your hen obviously has lost a lot of feathers on her back.....do you have a rooster??? If so, ya might want to give her a break and separate the rooster for while.
As far as her skin, my only thought was sun burn and the dead skin coming off..... not sure if anyone has ever put sunscreen in their hens before.....Anyone???..
Pictures of your hen and set up would definitely help with more suggestions!!!!

 

[TropicalChick]

Hmmm I will post her pic - i have two hours if work rt now so a lil later but shes fully and lushly feathered! I have no rooster either - I will get back with pocs in 2 hours!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Hmmmm....in the meantime while waiting for pictures......waffle cut potato chips!!!!

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us

 

[007Sean]

Howdy Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Thanks for joining us!

 

[Kiki]

Welcome to BYC!
We are glad you joined our flock!

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[FrankieDoodle]

Welcome to BYC!!!

 

[TropicalChick]

Thanks for the warm welcome - Ok more info -

My hens get ponodora premium which is the high end layer feed here - for every bag of feed i add a small bag of oyster shell and a small bag of vitamins and minerals - I dont have usa branded atuff here in Costa Rica - but this is an agricultural culture and many things come by reccommendation from the dude at the feed store

- they get table scraps maybe 3x a week and twice a month I give them some cans of tuna.

- they have a large area to free range during the day and they get lots of grass bugs greens and ive seen then eat frogs and small snakes even!

Please see the attached pics of all my girls this first one is the chicken in question with the scaly patch on her back - I couldnt find any lice or mites and the second picture is the best i could get of the skin area where theres a crusty patch - the skin underneath looks normal

- it is rainy season - my coop is at the bottom of a hill but its raised 3 feet off the ground and there is adequate drainage - the yard gets muddy but it drains or soaks in ...

- the coop is new - just rebuilt it - it has 2 one inch wide open slots in the floor to allow air through the bottom and to drain water out as i rinse it everyday.

- i have 2 nest boxes with sawdust and wood chips

I dont use litter on the floor because they spend all day outside - they go in to roost at night

- the coop walls are wire fencing lined w 1 inch chicken wire wrapped with landscape fabric and ive left the bottom 2 inches unwrapped by the floor to push water out the sides

- this design has veen very successful at keeping all the critters out.

Im wondering if anyone has seen the scaly back issue and what I can do about that as the hen is otherwise happy and seems very healthy. I think shes broody tho shes picked out her bottom breast feathers but she otherwise fine.

I have nonidea what breeds my hens are would love to know if anyone knows that as well - mainly concerned about my hens oddly scaley back

 

[TropicalChick]

Another post with some flock history - I started w 6 black egglayers and smaller coop of wood and bamboo.

I lost 2 black hens to opossum attacks. Lost one black hen to Mareks. Last week another black hen was lethargic for a day and then died. I think she was old - I had no idea of their ages when I bought them. I have two black hens left.

The rest of them Ive had for less than a year. The more beautiful ones Ive learned are meat chickens but they lay pretty regularly. The white one got an eye worm and is recovering from that and is laying again tho shes blind in one eye. Three of them Ive had for just a couple weeks and theyre very young. One of those crows like a rooster and Im wondering if shes a he.

Whew. Psyched to be here! Wondering if anyone has tropical environment specific tips