Pecking problem? Skin disease? I don't know!

[krystlejade]

I had 10 8 month old chickens in January in upstate NY. Secure coop and pen(as secure as I can make it at least). I came home one night after work and like always I went out to close and lock their door for the night. One of my girls was dead outside the door with a baseball round sized wound on her "hip/top of her butt" area. I initially thought hawk because the snow knocked down some of the roofing. The next day I keep them locked in the coop (thinking hawk still) and when I came home one of the girls was dead inside with an identical wound only a little bigger! I checked for any way something could have gotten into the coop and I swear its sealed up tight. Now 4 out of the 8 chickens have small quarter sized wounds all in the same exact spots right around where the tail feathers grow. Some girls have open wounds-which I treat and sometimes confine if it gets really bad. One girl even stayed in my basement for a month healing because her wound was really bad. I have treats and hang things for them to do so they don't get bored. I completely empty and put new bedding in the coop once a month. I spray for mites. I cant figure out what the problem is! I didn't save the pics of my dead girls and their wounds but I have a picture of the newest girl to have a problem.

 

[Friendly_Lurker]

That looks like rooster damage. Get them a saddle to wear and give them a break from the rooster. Maybe a different rooster would help.

 

[krystlejade]

I don't have a rooster :-/

 

[MGG]

Mites or lice maybe? @azygous @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock anyone have any other ideas? Thanks

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Some girls have open wounds-which I treat and sometimes confine if it gets really bad. One girl even stayed in my basement for a month healing because her wound was really bad.

I have treats and hang things for them to do so they don't get bored. I completely empty and put new bedding in the coop once a month. I spray for mites.

What did you use to treat for mites? (product name?)

You only have 4 of 8 with those spots - can you observe the ones that have no damage to see if they are picking at the others? This may be happening during roosting.

How much space do you have for coop/run? Square foot of each.

I see broken feathers, so likely the damage is from another chicken or two OR if you observe them doing it to themselves (?) Do you see them picking obsessively at their own skin?

You have treats/hanging things so they don't get bored - what do you give and what do you feed?

 

[krystlejade]

I don't know what the spray name is. I will have to look when I get home.

The coop is 4x8 and the run is 12x20 I hang treats and put out sand when the weather permits. I Have a block for them to pick and twice a week I buy greens or a cabbage or blueberries-whatever I can find.

I thought I figured out who was the bully. I watched her really go after the one chicken who seems to get a bad wound often (I keep the wounded one inside until she is healed)Yesterday after work the "bully" was dead outside with the same type wounds all the other girls had. She was fine in the morning when I let them out at 8 am and by 530 pm she was dead. This is the 3rd dead chicken in 2 months with the same exact wounds. I attached pictures of my poor dead chicken and the other chicken who gets wounded but I am always able to save her in time.

 

[Eggcessive]

Those wounds look more like a predator or hawk. Roosters, which you don’t have can lacerate a hen’s side with sharp spurs, but that looks very serious. Once there is a red wound, the other chickens may peck at it and make it worse. How many chickens are inside your coop? Have you looked for any holes in the floor or siding where a raccoon or fox could slide through? Can you put a game cam in the coop to see what may be coming in there or what might be happening? Coop pictures can be helpful. So sorry for those injuries and death.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I agree, looks more like some type of predator damage.

 

[krystlejade]

I thought predator damage too but I kept them locked inside when this first started happening and I had a girl still die one me. I keep looking for spots something can get in. I will get pictures of the coop this weekend.
I had 10 girls and I am down to 7 now. I am working on getting a camera set up.
Thank you everyone for the help.