Ruby is unwell :(

[MandS]

I have 2 with the same bottom - bare and red. They look like baboons! Mine is down to one hen that has an unhealthy fascination with downy bottom fluff. She will peck and eat the feathers of any bird that is lower in the pecking order - that is how I worked out it was hen related and not an irritant. I tried antipeck spray but it didn't work - in fact it made both hens very acutely unwell. So I am just leaving it and hoping that eventually it will come back once the fascination goes. So far about 6 months like this. Doesn't seem to bother them however.

 

[Kathy Golla]

I have a white Delaware hen that has exactly this, I first noticed it maybe about 8 months ago. Like I said, dont let the red color bother you too much, I found that that area is really profused.
I think my hens is caused by chronic poopy butt which Im learning seems to be caused by a lot of things. She is my only hen that has this chronically.
The seems to be the poopy butt irritates that area, poop sticks to the skin. It could be her pulling her feathers out trying to get herself comfortable, or the feathers are falling out, or others are picking them out.
So since its started Ive tried to ID the source of the poopy butt. Heat, changes in weather, too much water seems to cause it. Scratch grain really causes it, the corn. Also, rebrascora has a really good theory that fatter hens get chronic poopy butt as being fatter changes the structure of their vent position, and it might be this too, and shes top of pecking order, and she is a little portly, so Ive been trying to keep her weight down.
I also give her a bath about once a month to get the stuck on pieces off. The bath also helps not expose that area to being pecked. Recently its been better.
In addition, the area could have been feather picked when she was roosting but she is top of pecking order...I never saw it but it could have happened.
But it is all healed now, there are still a few feathers to grow in but much better. The feathers took forever to grow back in.

 

[micstrachan]

Hi Everyone,
Yesterday I washed a couple poopy butts, because the fly population is exploding and didn’t want to risk fly strike. Ruby was just mildly poopy, but I cleaned her anyway, as I wanted to check out her red bulge. Thankfully, it was less red than the photo in this thread from weeks back.
However...
Today Ruby hung out in a nest box for a long time and did not lay. She eventually got kicked out by Millie, who laid pretty quickly. When she got booted, her body language was good and she went on to join the flock free ranging.
Her nick name is Adventure Girl, but she has not been very adventurous in weeks. She tends to stay a little closer to home.
I’m not sure exactly why I’m reopening g this thread. She doesn’t have any symptoms, but it seems she is not laying, despite having laying hormones. I fear she could be laying internally, but I’m pretty sure I can’t do much about that (besides expensive hormones, and I’m not even totally sure she needs them.)
Ruby has dropped a few feathers the past few weeks, but nothing indicates a full blown molt. She did not have a juvenile molt last year.
I guess I just want to make sure I’m not missing anything with Ruby, but inclined to leave her alone and wait and see. I’ve been doing that for about six weeks already.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Have you looked to see if she has any pin feathers coming in?

 

[micstrachan]

No. I should do that. This was her today. She looks great to me. But not laying for weeks (?) has me a little anxious. Don’t mind my extreme dorkness in the video.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Oh Michelle, I don't see any dorkiness

Ruby looks good to me, I would check her to see if any pin feathers are coming in.