Molting Chicken with red raw skin... Help.

[MrsG]

I've had my five chickens for nearly a year now, got them at POL in May and have had no problems with them at all. They are free range in my garden and also have a run.

Bella, my Sussex light has been molting for about 2/3 weeks now, as has Mabel and Cherry, my sussex blue and another sussex light. The latter two have not a problem but poor Bella, she seems to have molted everywhere at the same time, with lots of little feathers growing all over her body. What concerns me though, is her skin is red raw on her underbelly and tops of her legs (3inch by 2 inch area on her tummy) and parts of her chest. Where it looks really sore, there are no feathers growing at all. I have no idea how long this has been going on for, as to look at her you wouldnt notice, but on picking her up you can see it. Her poop is normal and I haven't seen the others pecking her - they all get on really well.

There are no signs of red mites and I havent seen any lice though I do spray them regularly. I completely clean their coop every two weeks. Their run is pretty muddy at the moment so they spend most of the time in the garden. Of my 5 chickens, I am getting 2/3 eggs a day but Bella has not laid in a good few weeks. She is eating fine (layers pellets and household veggie choppings plus a handful of corn each day in the afternoon), I have put poultry spice in their food - and she generally seems OK apart from this horrible sore skin.

Is her skin infected? what can I do to help her.

MrsG

 

[Judy]

Maybe she is allergic to something. What is poultry spice?

 

[MrsG]

I have figured out the problem. Bella was top chicken but there has been a reorganisation of the pecking order! I watched today and spent some time with them. The new top chicken is very much the boss now - eats first and doesnt let my other girls eat until she is done. Bella is obviously very unsettled and i think she is getting pecked when in the coup at night. I inspected her closely for any mites/lice etc and could not see any (as I spray regularly). There are no mites in the coup and the other chickens are fine. So I need to sit it out and let nature take its course I guess. My poor bella, she was so feisty.

Chicken spice is a dietary suppliment we use in the UK for moulting chickens. it is a powder you put in with their pellets or water - smells like aniseed.

 

[Judy]

So glad you figured out what was going on.

There are some excellent threads on here linked on the FAQ page about pecking and feather picking. Molting can be pretty hard on them, though, it seems some more than others. Mine act like they feel miserable til they get their new ones in.

You know, you could knock the top chicken down a peg or two by removing her for a few days and shaking up he pecking order.