No feathers and black and blue hen

[Lindsy]

Hi everyone
I've also posted over in the ducks section as I'm not sure if this was caused by my drake....but here is the problem.

I've a 2 yr old buff orp frizzle hen. She's hatched out a chick in January, always been in good health. After hatch, started to moult. Well, she always looks abit ratty cause of the frizzle but she did look pretty bad. I thought she was starting to fill back in but suddenly started having less and less feathers. Her butt was plucked clean! I've got a small mixed flock, 1 roo, 4 hens, 1 young hen and Boris the Kakhi campbell who lost his mate in December. He is penned up with the flock at night and rules the "ground" floor. The girls and roo roost. I'm concerned that he can been plucking her feathers cause I've seen him chasing and bullying her during the day. He seems to have taken over control of the flock and being more and more agressive to her.

Yesterday, she had almost no feathers and is black and blue in patches! Do you think that's from him? they free range for a few hours a day ...do you think something else got ahold of her?

I've separated her in the coop (up in the nesting area) with some food and water and Boris can't reach her. She is quite weak.

Any ideas would be most appreciated!!

Lindsy

 

[TwoCrows]

It is common for feather pluckers to pull the feathers off the birds above them on the roost bars. Sounds like this is what is going on. Keep the bully separated out from the others for a while.

Keep the hen separated for a few days as well. Once she feels well enough to be with the others, you might want to use some anti pick lotion or other pick stop topical stuff on her bare areas. Maybe even some pine tar. Something that tastes bad to the others to keep them from picking at her bare spots. I have used Blu-kote with good success in stopping birds from picking at each other.

I have also had good luck with Pinless Peepers to stop birds from picking or bullying each other. Keeps the peace in the flock.

Good luck with your flock!