Hens have bare butts...

[PatG]

I was checking my 3 hens the other day and noticed two of them have bare behinds. The third does not. All three are Buff Orpingtons. They get along with each other, all are eating well, all are laying well, they are not acting any different really. They have been spending more time in the coop due to the weather, but other than that everything seems normal. Any help as to why two of them have bare bottoms? Thanks in advance!

PatG

 

[speckledhen]

Molting hens seem to be bare back there for awhile. It's pretty normal in that area for their molt. As always, be sure they don't have lice/mites, but bare bottoms are rampant around here when most of the girls are in molt. They molt at different rates and not all are in the same phase at the same time.

 

[PatG]

Thank you for your reply. I have not seen any lice/mites. I try to keep the coop as clean as possible and check to make sure everything is good to go. I was wondering if they were starting to molt, but wasn't sure as they they're just shy of being one year old. This is my first experience with chickens. I feel pretty confident with the more mundane stuff but do get thrown for a loop on certain things.