Please help--leghorn hen plucking own feathers / self-mutilating

[LamarshFish]

My brother and sister-in-law have a small flock of chickens, and they recently noticed that one of their best layers, a leghorn named Dorothy, was missing feathers on her back. They had separated their hens from their one rooster months ago, and my sister-in-law caught Dorothy actually plucking them out of her own back, so they know she's doing it to herself. Dorothy is still laying eggs though.
Does anybody have any thoughts on what may cause this?

Parasites?

She used to free range, and now they keep her in a coop because of predators and because their rooster free ranges and bothers the hens, so maybe she is going a little nutty from not free ranging?

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

 

[BantamLover21]

In my opinion, it is unlikely that she has been self mutilating herself all along. It is possible that she was getting her feathers pulled by the other birds, resulting in irritation on her back and growing feathers. To relieve the irritation, she may have started pecking at herself and even enjoying eating the growing blood feathers. The confinement is probably enhancing her boredom, too.

For now, I would try to solve the problem by gently washing her back to remove any blood. Then, try putting a hen apron on her. Hen aprons are typically sold to protect hens from overbreeding by roosters, but I think one might work to keep her back safely covered. Wait until the feathers on her back are fully grown back, then take the hen apron off. Watch out for any feather-picking hens during and after the feather regrowth period: if they were the ones that started this problem, you don't want them causing further problems.

It wouldn't hurt to treat her and the other hens for mites, as well. You can use Sevin dust, Ivermectin, or poultry dust.

 

[LamarshFish]

In my opinion, it is unlikely that she has been self mutilating herself all along. It is possible that she was getting her feathers pulled by the other birds, resulting in irritation on her back and growing feathers. To relieve the irritation, she may have started pecking at herself and even enjoying eating the growing blood feathers. The confinement is probably enhancing her boredom, too.

For now, I would try to solve the problem by gently washing her back to remove any blood. Then, try putting a hen apron on her. Hen aprons are typically sold to protect hens from overbreeding by roosters, but I think one might work to keep her back safely covered. Wait until the feathers on her back are fully grown back, then take the hen apron off. Watch out for any feather-picking hens during and after the feather regrowth period: if they were the ones that started this problem, you don't want them causing further problems.

It wouldn't hurt to treat her and the other hens for mites, as well. You can use Sevin dust, Ivermectin, or poultry dust.

Thanks!