Red butted Barred Rock

[Kukendame]

My 8 month barred rock has a very red butt and a loss of feathers around her vent.

She is otherwise acting normal and the other chickens are healthy. They have a large coop with several roosts, they free range during the day. They are on a layer feed and I give them scratch grains by hand.
These are my first chickens so I am very new to this. Any ideas?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like you might have a plucker amongest the flock. But first check them all out for lice and mites, but I think if that was a problem you would be others looking the same as her, you'll have to find the culprit and remove her or them from the flock for a few days to mix up the pecking order, then return them and hopefully your problem will be solved, you'll have to do something about that exposed bottom though, get some bluekote from the feed store and spray her real good, this will mask the raw places and keep the others from wanting to pluck her too. after returning said plucker back to flock and it starts again then you'll have to decide if you want to rehome or possibly cull. Bluekote is inexpensive but will turn purple anything it comes in contact with so be aware of this when using it.. Also try to put things out into their coop that will give them something to do, cabbage hung from ceiling, scratch and or Boss tossed around on the floor of their coop, or flock block. Good luck and hope it all works out.

 

[Kukendame]

I don't think it is pecking, I have been watching them closely and haven't seen any evidence of pecking. They free range from sun up to sundown and have a acre to explore. It has been very wet out there lately and I'm sure they get wet butts walking through the puddles, I'm wondering if its just irritation.
I was afraid of the possibility of mites. Are they common in the North and in the winter? I know we don't have flees here but I've heard mites more tolerant of cold.
Thanks for your help

 

[tammye]

*rI believe it is due to feather plucking also. I have had the same problem, first thought it was bugs, none seen, tried dusting, same issue, then I saw it, the little pluckers when right after the new pin feathers trying to grow back. I kept seeing new feathers, then gone again, red butt, I believe from the skin being exposed. So you may want to watch them when they start to roost, that's when I finally saw it, one reached over and pluck goes another feather.

 

[Kukendame]

Oh...

I am really wanting it to be ANYTHING else! They have been together since last spring and seem to get along great.
I have a light in the coop on a timer for an hour or so morning and evening, if I turn it off will they be less likely to peck in the dark? Maybe I should have the pop door open before sun rise so they will only be in the coop to roost. It does seem to have improved in the last few days.

 

[Kukendame]

I have witnessed the plucking, you were right. That's why they call me "just hatched".

It has been better since I have turned off the coop light and let them out earlier. With less time in the coop and more time free ranging, I hope it will be a thing in the past.

 

[A HappyHenLover]

To stop them from pecking at each other, provide other things for them in their house to do. Pecking is caused from the hens being bored. So put hay slabs for them to scratch in or a dust bath, hide grain under their bedding and have them dig around. Hope this helps, mine started to peck each other awhile ago, but I changed the house up a bit, and they're fine now.