Hen plucking herself

[gbinpdx]

My year-old Cookoo Maran had plucked a few feathers, but we went away for two days--they had plenty of water and layer feed--and she appears to have plucked most of her backside and legs clean!

I had friends check for eggs yesterday afternoon and the hen had not plucked, so this is within an 18-hour period. Other than the plucking and what appears to be some loose mustard-colored stool, she seems lively, layed yesterday and is eating well. Their run area is 4x5 for three hens.

Has anyone expereince this? What should I do? Is this mites (I have DE in their roost and nestbox)? Boredom? Help!!

 

[feathersnuggles]

When you say backside, do you mean her belly and chest area?

 

[teach1rusl]

Are you sure that SHE is plucking herself??? If so, then I'd do some serious inspection of mites, since the vent area (backside) is often where mites congregate. How do her leg scales look too??? Can you post pictures???

 

[gbinpdx]

I spent more time observing them and the most dominent is picking at her, but she's picking herself, too (she's #2 in the pecking order of three hens). The dominent one is eating the feathers, and she's starting to pic at the neck, too.

I don't see anything on the leg scales, but I will try to post a couple of pics, as well as the one of the loose stool (sorry, but I thought it might be helpful). She's still laying and still seems very lively.

Would anti-pecking spray help disuade the dominent one? Are mites still a possibility and should I add more DE to the dust bath area? I have it on the roost bars.

 

[gbinpdx]

How do I attach a picture to the post? I uploaded three pics, but I have no idea where....