missing feathers

[Raising Chicks in Everett]

I noticed that two of my hens have bald spots on the rear where the fluffy feathers are. the skin in not red no blood just some white skin. Is this normal, i've never noticed this before. They look healthy and acting normal. They are laying, will one year old this May.
Thanks,
B.

 

[Hypnotist_Collectr]

I have one like this, and noticed that one of the others was picking on her. I would have thought it was molting, but I was out there cleaning out the coop and changing water & just hanging out with them, and noticed one of the girls taking a bite and ripping feathers out of the other. Poor little victim just stood there with her eyes closed. I sorta wish she'd fight back.
I saw it happen 4 more times, so the meanie is being quarantined for a week so they can choose a new pecking order.
..

 

[thatsit]

I have 3 Barred's and an Australorp. One of my barred's has missing feathers on the back of her neck but the quills are intact. She seems to lose the feathers only at night, at least that's where they seem to be (no where else in the coop during the day). I am bringing her in at night but now am wondering if she is just molting?

 

[chookchick]

thatsit--sounds like normal molting--you will see new quills coming in. The OP seems to have a pecking problem. Try Blu-kote and chicken toys, and lots of free-ranging if possible.

 

[mr_shinn]

I had the same problem with bald muffs on my hens. It seems that their poop was sticking to the feathers, hardening and then pulling them out. I switched feed and that seemed to stop the globbing poop. However, my hen with the baldest butt died two days ago. Her intestines were ripped out of her vent. I think that the others had something to do with that. Tonight, I found the "boss hen" dead with the same symptoms. Her butt didn't seem to be nearly as bald, but the vent was ripped out in the same way. I'm now down to two from my original four hens.

Do something to keep the others from pecking you bare butt chicken.