Please help! hen's breast is bare & bleeding! 😥

[centrarchid]

I have several hens roosting up at night that when handled as shown have a bare breast have been broody this production season.

 

[Lovem all]

I believe it is safe but you can always ask someone for a second opinion

 

[Seed223]

Agreed, no roosters!

I just realized it sounded like I was suggesting you get a rooster.... I’m so sorry!! I just meant buff Orpingtons in general . I should have proofed that before I replied because it did totally sound like that, SO sorry!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She's really acting like it's driving her mad. She constantly digs at her feathers and skin all over...she rarely stops biting at the base of her feathers, she's not eating enough, she sits with her wings lifted away from her sides and pants. She didn't lay an egg today.

She's active: she ran to me and my assistant; she chased the Stellar's Jays away from the littlest birds so they could eat.

Is there a product/medicine that works on mites and lice??

Can you please post some photos of all of her?
Is she biting at the base of her feathers or is she preening?
Where are you located in the world?
What do you feed?

I'm a little perplexed, you mention that she's acting miserable, biting at herself and sitting with her wings spread out panting. Then the next post, you mention she's active - running to you and chasing Jays.

She does have pin feathers coming in which can be irritating - do you notice more pin feathers coming in on her body? Could she be molting?

I do agree the skin looks irritated. Look at her vent area, under her wings, etc. for lice, check at night for mites. This may help you with that https://the-chicken-chick.com/poult...y mite infestation can,and death of a chicken.

 

[Dancingwnature]

Tonight, I finally got photos of her in the dark and I used a small LED light to really get a close up search of her feathers and skin. You're right! I couldn't find a bug on her to save my life!! She could be lonely and/or stressed.

I just realized it sounded like I was suggesting you get a rooster.... I’m so sorry!! I just meant buff Orpingtons in general . I should have proofed that before I replied because it did totally sound like that, SO sorry!!

Rooster? What's a rooster??

 

[Dancingwnature]

Can you please post some photos of all of her?
Is she biting at the base of her feathers or is she preening?
Where are you located in the world?
What do you feed?

I'm a little perplexed, you mention that she's acting miserable, biting at herself and sitting with her wings spread out panting. Then the next post, you mention she's active - running to you and chasing Jays.

She does have pin feathers coming in which can be irritating - do you notice more pin feathers coming in on her body? Could she be molting?

I do agree the skin looks irritated. Look at her vent area, under her wings, etc. for lice, check at night for mites. This may help you with that https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/#:~:text=Northern fowl mites and Red,roosts and inside nesting boxes.&text=A heavy mite infestation can,and death of a chicken.


View attachment 2272964

Thank you so much for
some good advice . Yes, she's a bit flakey! She's always excited to see me even if I've just been out of her line of sight. Between those periods of activity, when we're sitting together, and right before coop time she does the "I don't feel good".
I did get better photos of her last night.

 

[centrarchid]

Thank you so much for
some good advice . Yes, she's a bit flakey! She's always excited to see me even if I've just been out of her line of sight. Between those periods of activity, when we're sitting together, and right before coop time she does the "I don't feel good".
I did get better photos of her last night.
View attachment 2273049

That is a brood patch on a hen in good or even over weight. My heavy dual purpose hens have a big patch they do not completely cover by relaxing skin.

 

[getaclue]

Bag balm will be fine. Instead of bathing in epsom salts, or vinegar, you might want to try tepid/lukewarm (test it on your arm, like a baby bottle) with a little mild shampoo in it, like dishwater. You can use a tote, the sink, or bathtub. I like to use two totes, one for soapy water, one with plain water for rinsing. Don't fill it too full, because the chicken will probably lay down in it. Once you get her in, she will settle down within a couple minutes, and probably lay down. Let her soak at least 5 minutes in the soapy water, then take her out, dump the water, and refill with fresh tepid water only, or put her in the second tote to rinse. Wrap her in a towel, and let her dry. You may want to transfer her to a fresh dry towel after a few minutes. Keep her wrapped up until she's almost completely dry, so she doesn't get a chill. I don't recommend blow drying with her skin the way it is. When she's dry, apply the bag balm.

The bath will help remove anything she might have gotten on her skin that's agitating it, and/or will help kill mites, in case she has any.

 

[centrarchid]

This will be my last post. Treating this hen for her bare spot is like treating male pattern baldness as a death sentence.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you so much for
some good advice . Yes, she's a bit flakey! She's always excited to see me even if I've just been out of her line of sight. Between those periods of activity, when we're sitting together, and right before coop time she does the "I don't feel good".
I did get better photos of her last night.
View attachment 2273049

This is a better photo.
I would not be inclined to do anything at this point.

Can you please post some photos of all of her?
Is she biting at the base of her feathers or is she preening?
Where are you located in the world?
What do you feed?
Look at her vent area, under her wings, etc. for lice, check at night for mites.