Plucking at base of tail ... Please Help! Pics Attached

[YahMez]

We have a flock of 3 birds: A Rhode Island Red, A Delaware, and a Silver Laced Wyandotte

A few weeks ago our Wyandotte was pecked on her back right by the base of her tail. I'm pretty sure our Delaware started it, and then the Rhode Island started to help and even convinced the Wyandotte herself to pluck back there. I read a bunch of places that applying Blue Kote should stop the plucking and things should be back to normal pretty quickly.

After the first couple of applications a few pin feathers were coming back in. It still appears as they are, however over the past 3 weeks there seems to have been no real progress in her healing. I don't think it is mites. It is kind of odd though, the spot has not grown at all, its been the same size bald spot since the plucking first started.

We have continued to apply the Blue Kote, but I'm skeptical if it is really doing much good. Typically an hour or so after applying it she likes to dust bathe and rid herself of it as much as possible. I notice that after applying it her beak is more blue than her flock mates. I'm not sure what else to do, it is looking REALLY inflamed by the base of her tail, the farther away from that the better it looks. You can see the new feathers coming in that are pluck free right under my pinky finger. HELP I feel so bad for her. It looks sooo uncomfortable.

Any input? Thanks in advance !!!

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[TyrannosaurusChix]

ouchie.. that looks painful.



i dont have a pecking problem as of now.. but igot some BSL hens with backs that looked like that when i got them.


IVe had them VERY little time and they had what looks to be the pin feather regrowth happening like yours.


I have been feeding my chickens plain oats with cool water mixed in. ( runny plain oatmeal) the kind that come sin teh big canisters and are REDICULOUSLY cheap!

its PURE protein and will aid GREATLY in feather regrowth! The black sex links of mine all have full regrowth.. 1/2"- almost 1" past the pins!


Good luck!

 

[YahMez]

Thanks for the tip!

Is there anything else I should be putting on it though? I'm slightly worried about possible infection due to how inflamed it is ...

Should I apply the Blue Kote each day? The past week or so we've been pretty lax about applying it because I'm not sure it is making much of a difference.

 

[TyrannosaurusChix]

i havent used blukote on a chicken myself, but if you have her separated, i would just give her an epsom salt soak. it might take a little of the swelling out..

 

[Lollipop]

I wouldn`t worry so much about the red skin, as exposure to the sun will turn it red. It`s not sunburned, though, so that`s not a worry. What appears to me to be happening is feather picking. Now, could be something causing it, but to stop them from picking feathers, just apply some Noxema Face Cream. It`s nowhere near as messy as Blu Kote and they hate the taste of it. Can`t help much beond that and you may hafta wait for a moult to grow some of them back, but the Noxema will stop the picking. Good pics by the way........Pop

 

[YahMez]

I'll give the Noxema a try!! Thanks for all of the help I <3 this forum!!

& thanks for the pic note, hehe gotta love Blackberry

 

[MikasGirl]

If she isn't separated, your best bet, as I've found, is to use Blu Kote. It may not seem like it is helping with feather regrowth, but it will keep your other birds from pecking at it. My BR hen is FINALLY growing back some of her feathers. Her back and butt and head were really bad. We've also ordered some Hen Saver hen aprons to help.

Good luck