My girls have bare chests and bellies

[Newchicksfam]

Help! (please no rude comments) I am new to having chickens this last year and have been trying to figure out what could be going on with my girls. I only have the 3 girls, they are about 14-15 months old. They are a black sexlink, sapphire gem and a black star sexlink. After looking through some posts on here and FB posts, I think it might possibly be molting or maybe mites but didn't know if it could cause this. I was looking at my girls and found this on one of them on her belly. The other 2 only have a bare spot, no redness that I have seen so far. One of them does not really like to be handled much. They are all eating/drinking normally and laying (did have one soft shell egg today). They are pretty much acting normally as well but have noticed a little bickering over food. I have also noticed a lot of loose feathers around the yard and coop/run. What can I do for her/them. I am so upset, I have tried so hard to keep them healthy. They have been out free ranging a lot lately as I have been home more (we have predators in the area so I don't left them wonder around unless I am here at home. Their coop has had diatomaceous earth in the nesting boxes and the run. It is due for another dusting so will be doing that in the morning. I clean their coop regularly. What else can I do? Anyone know what this is? The redness just broke my heart.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hi, that does not look like regular molting to me. Are you sure your birds are not trying to go broody? Are they spending extra time in the nests or getting grumpy or anything like that?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If you know which hen laid the soft shell egg, give her a calcium citrate tablet with D3 in it, you can get these at any store that sells vitamins and supplements. Give it to her at night on the roost so you don't have to chase her around in the heat of the day. Just pull gently down on her wattles to open her beak and pop it in, when she closes her beak she'll swallow it no problem.

The DE isn't doing any good, what you need is permethrin. You'll find it probably in the horse section of your feed store. Put some of the powder in a sock or knee-high nylon and use it as a powder puff all over the chickens. Pay special attention under the wings, around the legs, under the vent. Wear a mask. Read the label, I think it may be toxic to cats? Or maybe just the liquid spray version is. Use that to spray the coop. Good luck! Others may have better advice. (Nobody's going to be rude to you here, we're here to help!)

 

[Newchicksfam]

Hi, that does not look like regular molting to me. Are you sure your birds are not trying to go broody? Are they spending extra time in the nests or getting grumpy or anything like that?

No they are not spending very much time in the nest at all. They go in lay their eggs and walk away and go back out. The only grumpiness I really can say is when it's treat time and they have been getting a little testy with eat other.
I will get pictures of the other girls as well tomorrow. The sapphire gem is losing feathers in other areas as well.

 

[Newchicksfam]

If you know which hen laid the soft shell egg, give her a calcium citrate tablet with D3 in it, you can get these at any store that sells vitamins and supplements. Give it to her at night on the roost so you don't have to chase her around in the heat of the day. Just pull gently down on her wattles to open her beak and pop it in, when she closes her beak she'll swallow it no problem.

The DE isn't doing any good, what you need is permethrin. You'll find it probably in the horse section of your feed store. Put some of the powder in a sock or knee-high nylon and use it as a powder puff all over the chickens. Pay special attention under the wings, around the legs, under the vent. Wear a mask. Read the label, I think it may be toxic to cats? Or maybe just the liquid spray version is. Use that to spray the coop. Good luck! Others may have better advice. (Nobody's going to be rude to you here, we're here to help!)

I don't know which one laid the egg. I have an idea but not positive. Can I give it to all 3? Maybe put it in the water or something like that? I will look for the other stuff at tractor supply tomorrow. Thank you!!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Okay, thanks. Then let me tag a couple of our Educators and see what they suggest. Don't know if they will answer tonight as it is midnight here - and I am, in fact, off to bed. Will check this thread in the morning though.
@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock @coach723

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I don't know which one laid the egg. I have an idea but not positive. I will look for the other stuff at tractor supply tomorrow. Thank you!!

It probably won't hurt to give the calcium to all 3 then, but let's see if the Educators concur. I forgot to tell you to give it once a day for 5 to 7 days. What do you feed? And do you provide oyster shell in a separate vessel, available all the time, for the hens to help themselves? And do you also provide a separate container of grit? What else do they eat, including treats? This info will help the Educators help you.

 

[Eggcessive]

My guess is they are stressed due to not getting outside to roam during the day. Looks like feather picking although there are some pin feathers coming in. Have you seen any lice or mites on their bodies? I don’t treat unless I see them. Permethrin is good if they have them. I would try to figure out which one is laying the soft egg, and treat her with calcium 300 mg daily for 7 days.

 

[coach723]

Can you post some pictures of the coop/run, so we can see your set up? Include roosts and dimensions. Do they roost, or do they sleep on the ground or in nest boxes? I'm wondering if they are over crowded and/or bored, which is a very common reason for feather picking. Exposed skin often looks red, just from being exposed.
It would be best to try to only treat the one laying soft shelled eggs with calcium.

 

[Newchicksfam]

It probably won't hurt to give the calcium to all 3 then, but let's see if the Educators concur. I forgot to tell you to give it once a day for 5 to 7 days. What do you feed? And do you provide oyster shell in a separate vessel, available all the time, for the hens to help themselves? And do you also provide a separate container of grit? What else do they eat, including treats? This info will help the Educators help you.

They eat organic chicken feed I get local. Veggies including broccoli, carrots, red cabbage, green cabbage, lettuce, sometimes peas and green beans, fruit including banana, blue berries, strawberry all as a treat sometimes in the morning, and a little in the evening with meal worms when I close them up. Some table scraps but not much as we don't usually have that much. Another treat with the heat is plain Greek yogurt, usually with something in it like garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano and or rosemary and/or frozen berries (as above). I occasionally put acv in water but most times it is the electrolytes and vitamin mix. I have not done the oyster shell but do put crushed egg shell in the food occasionally. And no I don't do grit, just learned about that recently and haven't had a chance to get it. I have put pecking blocks in but they don't really have any interest in them much.