Missing feathers

[Dooner]

Dumb question #2: one of my three chickens was missing feathers on her back, by her tail feathers. About the size of a fifty cent piece. Just bare skin it looks like with a couple of black dots. I see her preening that area, if that is the right term. I noticed other chickens inthe farmer's coop had that as well but bigger. Is this a concern, like could that be mites or lice or something? Should I expect that they will grow back?

Des anyone have a picture of what mites or lice look like on a chicken? I have been reading and it sounds like I should pick up some 1% DE, whatever that is and some cedar shavings. The DE goes in t heir sandbox and the bottom of the nestbox?

 

[ChurkLover]

I am not sure about the black dots...do you have pictures? Also, do you have any Roosters and if so, do they show the same symptoms? When I first had my chickens, we had too many roosters (we found out as they grew from chicks) and they were overbreeding the hens which caused the feathers on their backs to disappear....just a thought. Good luck!

 

[Dooner]

Quote:
I got the hens as started pullets. They were in a shed style coop with about 100 more and two roosters. Almost all were black, but this one and several others were kind of grey. Maybe they grey ones were the roosters favorites?

 

[Opa]

Missing feathers on their backs and often on the back of their heads are definite indications of rooster wear.