Missing feathers - but why? No rooster!

[soccerbabiesmama]

We purchased 2 layers from a very clean farm a couple weeks ago that were housed with a couple of roos. They were missing feathers above their tails, like you would see from birds who've been with a roo. We quarantined them, they seemed fine. A week after they were introduced to our 3 hens, our the head chicken (top of pecking order) started missing feathers from above her tail. Plucked clean out of the skin. We don't have any roosters. What's going on? Couldn't find any mites, and they been treated with ivermectin within the past 30 days. Any ideas???

 

[cat1994]

Hens also pick feathers out of other hens due to stress or boredom you don’t have to have a roo to have birds with picked feathers; chickens do this to each other often

 

[soccerbabiesmama]

Do I have anything to worry about? Should I buy a saddle to try and stop it or get some blue kote? Anyway to entertain a couple picky hens?

 

[cat1994]

Umm there is this stuff you can put on the hens that stops the others from pecking them I think it tastes bad or something but I don’t know what it is called, also you could try and get them some toys to keep them busy so they don’t get board, it may be b/c of the stress of introducing new birds so once they get used to each other it may go away on its own

 

[Lollipop]

Get some Noxema Face Cream outta your cosmetic collection and rub some on the bare spots. Tastes bad. Could be just feather loss from moulting, though. Moulting doesn`t usually concentrate like that, but everyone`s different. Unless you see blood, don`t be concerned..........Pop

 

[soccerbabiesmama]

Will do! Thanks so much for all of the advice! I was worried for a minute Now, if only I could get my 7 months old marans to lay!