I returned from a 10 day vacation, and found one of my girls plucked above the rump Does anyone know is this something she may be doing to herself. She is the only one like that I see. Is there anything I should do? She wasn't low in the pecking order when I left. Is there a disease that could cause this formation of loss? Secondly, I found an eggshell in one of the nests. I know what that means. Is there anything I can spray on the eggs right away to make them taste bad? I would rather try to break this habit than get rid of the culprit. I noticed my turken is hanging around the nests, I do suspect her. She was even sleeping in there when the lights went out. That is odd too! Is that normal that one hen will roost in a nest? I will be home for another 5 days, trying to take care of everything that seems to have gone askew. Enjoyed the vacation, but not coming home to new chicken challenges. UPDATE 12/28 I went out to the coop this morning, and she won't come down from her roost, which tells me she is getting picked on, I moved this post from Behaviors to Injuries in hopes SOMEONE will help me.....Do I need to treat this? Is this many picking on her, or the rooster? Ahhhh. The changes in the dynamics of the flock after only 10 days!
That bare spot looks to be from the roosters spurs and he has obviously taken a liking to her. The hen aprons are made for that very thing-might think about getting her one. Sounds like your little turken may be broody. If she seems healthy otherwise, that would be my guess. She's ready to hatch some chicks. If you don't want to let her hatch, keep taking her off of the nest. She may peck at you if she's broody, just wear some gloves when removing her from the nest. Odds are, she'll keep getting back in, but with mine, I just keep pulling them off. I can wait them out. Make sure she is at least getting down to eat and drink. Picking up the eggs a couple of times a day is the best thing I have found for egg eating. I've found a couple of eggs eaten in the 2 years I've kept birds, but it's not a constant thing.
I second easttxchick on the rooster. That is in the exact area that feather loss from roosters usually occur. SInce your chicken were probably locked in while you were gone, the hens couldn't get away as often. I had a hen who slept in the nest box every night, even though she wasn't broody. Yours may or may not be broody. I would kick her out of the nest box each night, and/or put a board over the boxes in the after noon so that she doesn't get settled in. As far as egg eating, I would just collect eggs more often, and make sure hens have something else to do. Keep them busy with food scraps, scratch, a large area to run, ect. Hope you get things figured out. Good luck! Also I would change your title to something more specific, like "feathers gone on hen's lower back" or "Need help stopping egg eating"
