Hens with bare backs... mites?

[zowieyellowflame]

Hello, I have 2 hens that have no feathers on their backs. Completely bald with not really any sign of any new growth. My coop has had scaly leg mites in the past, could this be the cause? I feel like the mites are relatively controlled. I have a rooster but his spurs are cut. I do not ever see other hens picking feathers. There is no redness, swelling or signs of mites in their feathers. (though i dont for sure know what to look for) The few feathers that surround the bald area look poorly. One, if not both hens are laying eggs or atleast trying to lay eggs.
The coop goes down to about -2 celcius at night but we are expecting some colder weather so it might go a bit lower. Will these hens be alright? The hens are confined to the coop in the winter but the door is opened on the nicer days.

 

[sourland]

Sounds like overbreeding on the part of the rooster. Is there any way you can seperate the rooster from the hens?

 

[RhodeIslandRedFan]

X2, but can't tell if you have roosters or not. Could also be pecking. Have you noticed any of your chickens pecking each other?

 

[crj]

I would say the rooster is aggressive to those hens and the hens at night are probably picking at the feathers. Get a chicken apron on them. Many I'm sure make them. I make the aprons for the chickens. I have 2 hens wearing them right now. They work very well. You may have to separate the 2 hens from the rest of the flock. Poor girls. In the winter too. I don't know if the feathers will grow back right away. I'm pretty sure they will grow back when they molt. I'm not totally sure about that. Winter time may be different.

 

[bufforphfan]

They are probably just molting. You can expect them to molt every year and not all at once. Mine have no rooster, live clear across the continent from yours and they are doing the same thing. The cold weather hinders egg production and they run around half-naked, just when you would think mother nature would give them more feathers instead of less!

 

[zowieyellowflame]

Yes, maybe I will try separating them for a while.
thanks!