Mites or something else??

[kayavara]

This hen has had this issue now for a while. We kept thinking it was because she was pecked on by the others but now we are worried that is more than that. We have about 20 chickens in a very adequate space and most all of the others seem fine except for another with a bare behind and a couple with small bare spots on their backs just before the tail feathers. Wanting to see what yall have to say before treating.

Thanks in advance for the info.

 

[dawg53]

Do you have a rooster treading her, perhaps his favorite?

 

[kayavara]

No roosters in the flock..And it hasn't changed over the last few weeks...no better..no worse.

 

[kayavara]

Also concerned about this lady... What you can't see is her behind is pink and bare like the back.

 

[dawg53]

Another issue could be feather picking and other birds eating the feathers. Or the same hen could be picking and eating her own feathers which would suggest not enough protein in her diet or the other birds diet for that matter. If she's being picked on by the others (pecking order,) it's possible she's not getting enough to eat.
Inspect her closely for lice/mites. Lice are white/off white in color, 6 legged, crawl quickly through feathers and fluff. They are more of an irritant and birds will scratch themselves and lose feathers if there's a bad enough infestation. Check for egg clusters on feather shafts especially around the vent area where it's warm and moist. Mites look like pepper, can be black or red in color. They are slow movers or dont move at all. They are 8 legged and suck blood which can cause anemia, then death. Again, the vent area is the place to look.

 

[kayavara]

Thanks so much for the info. We're going to clean the coop and nest boxes in the morning. At that time we'll look for mites/lice.