My leghorn hen has a bare backside. The skin there looks irritated.

[QChickieMama]

What's going on?

What to do about it?

I'm feeding them Nutrena layer pellets plus kitchen scraps, and they're in a tractor so they get grit and grass and bugs, too.

 

[Chemguy]

Sounds like there might be a feather-picker in the tractor. If that is the case, moving the tractor more frequently might provide a solution.

 

[MollyAngel]

Soak her nibbled area in blu-kote twice a day. Other chickens don't like the taste, and you will be able to identify the one who is trying to eat her because he/she will have a blue beak. Hope this helps!

 

[QChickieMama]

Well, sure enough, I blue-koted her bum and then happened to see the culprit in action. Ugh. Will this other hen ever stop her pecking habit? Or do I need to mix things up somehow.

 

[MollyAngel]

You could separate the other hens from the vicious one (if you have somewhere to put her) and then after a couple weeks she will have to reestablish her place in the pecking order. If your affected hen is very bad, take her out as well or just take her out and then keep her safe and happy until she is totally healed. When she is better reintegrate her slowly by having them forage with her. But make sure you stay close because if she is in trouble, you may need to rescue her. I made a BFF out of Molly when she got mauled by a predator. (If its no that bad, don't remove her.)Hope this helps!