Missing feather's from back at base of tail! Bareback chickens?!?!?!

[vickers685]

I have this problem as well, only it's my Ohio buckeye Roos. I have four of them. My buckeye hens are fine. What would be causing this?

 

[BigRedChickie]

I have this same problem with 2 of my 3 ISA Browns. I put a stop pick product on it and it didn't seem to do much as far as I could tell. It has gotten a little bit better (not red and sore looking anymore), but, they have looked like this for quite a while now.
I am currently trying to give them extra protein to help the feathers grow back, but, they already get meal worms pretty regularly and it just doesn't seem like the feathers are growing back.

Does anybody have any other ideas and/or dealt with this same problem successfully?
Thanks

 

[Cheryl1948]

BigRedChickie, did your chicken's feathers ever grow back? I am having the same problem with one of my EEs. It has only been a week since she overnight lost a bunch of feathers at the base of her tail like yours. I am using Blu Kote on it to hide the skin and keep the others from pecking at her. That is working, but how long will it take for her feathers to come back?

 

[BigRedChickie]

BigRedChickie, did your chicken's feathers ever grow back?  I am having the same problem with one of my EEs.  It has only been a week since she overnight lost a bunch of feathers at the base of her tail like yours.  I am using Blu Kote on it to hide the skin and keep the others from pecking at her.  That is working, but how long will it take for her feathers to come back?

As of yet no the feathers have not come back and they started moulting like 2 or more

months ago and still aren't growing feathers back very well. They are still laying almost every day though. So, I really don't know what's up with them. They seem healthy and happy otherwise.

 

[CandJHens]

I'm having this same problem with one of hens. She seemed to have lost them in the late summer/early fall and made it through our very cold winter. This morning I noticed some grey spots on the skin and am afraid it's from frost bite. Any suggestions?

 

[BigRedChickie]

I'm having this same problem with one of hens.  She seemed to have lost them in the late summer/early fall and made it through our very cold winter.  This morning I noticed some grey spots on the skin and am afraid it's from frost bite.  Any suggestions?

Unfortunately, I do not have any suggestions, it seems that nobody really does on this particular matter.

My poor hens look terrible and nothing that I've tried seems to make much difference. So, I'm at a total loss for any other ideas.

 

[nancyrae]

Unfortunately, I do not have any suggestions, it seems that nobody really does on this particular matter.

My poor hens look terrible and nothing that I've tried seems to make much difference. So, I'm at a total loss for any other ideas.

I am happy to read this. I am having the exact same problem! Most of my hens, but not all of them, have had bare backs for a couple of months now. We just went through the coldest, snowiest winter in recent history and every single hen survived. But now I feel so bad, like I am failing as a chicken owner, because of how bad they look! They all seem happy and all are laying well. I keep searching the internet and asking questions, and trying new ideas, but no one or nothing seems to be able to tell me why or what to do about it! It is a relief to know that I am not the only one....

 

[Cheryl1948]

I just kept applying the Blu-Kote and she kept looking better and better. It has been a couple of months now and her feathers are almost all grown back. I only had the one chicken missing feathers, so I may have had a feather-picker who picked exclusively on her, but, thankfully she looks almost completely normal again.

The other chickens do not like the Blu-Kote, so will stay away from the bare spots.

Also, have you checked for mites?

Good luck.

 

[BigRedChickie]

I am happy to read this. I am having the exact same problem! Most of my hens, but not all of them, have had bare backs for a couple of months now. We just went through the coldest, snowiest winter in recent history and every single hen survived. But now I feel so bad, like I am failing as a chicken owner, because of how bad they look! They all seem happy and all are laying well. I keep searching the internet and asking questions, and trying new ideas, but no one or nothing seems to be able to tell me why or what to do about it! It is a relief to know that I am not the only one....

I know what you mean they really do look awful like this.
My next idea is to try saddles on them and see if it's the other girl possibly pecking at them (probable cause I'm thinking at this stage) I am hoping the saddles will allow for the feathers to grow back in. I've tried stop pick (the pepper gel stuff)and a couple other products that I got at my local feed store and they didn't help.

 

[subhanalah]

I recommend observing them when they go to roost and while they are roosting. Find your pickers and segregate to see if it helps the problem.