I had six 1-yr old hens ( 2 easter eggers, 2 RIR, and 2 goldens). One was recently killed by a raccoon we think-we also know we have foxes, bobcats, and skunk. We think the varmint reached through the our baby gate run and broke her neck. He dug all the way around the run but couldn't get in. I put up hardware cloth on the bottom half of the run all the way around so we won't have that particular varmint issue again. After the incident, egg production dropped way off. I figured it was trauma. Egg production slowly increased but instead of getting 2 green eggs per day, I only got one green egg. No one was acting sick so I just figured the easter eggers were just taking turns laying. There were extra feathers in the run and coop so I thought that maybe one of the easter eggers was molting. Then yesterday we let the chickens out in backyard to free-range a little and we noticed the one easter egger stayed by the run while the others happily came into the backyard. Eventually she did join the others but she did stay closer to the run/coop area. On closer inspection we noticed she had a bright red butt and no feathers back there. This morning I went to check the chickens and little miss bare bottom escapes the run and decides to free-range on the very steep hillside where I can't catch her. Eventually I managed to get her back and inspect her bottom. It is not red anymore but looks blackish dirty. She seems fine, is eating, and seemed to enjoy her free-range escapade. She does not hold her tail down or act like she is trying to lay an egg and can't Her butt looks like it has quills sticking out where the feathers were. Do you think she is egg bound, molting, another chicken is pecking her, or what? I have considered bathing her but I think I might wait until my daughter gets home from school today so she can help me accomplish that task. What do you think?
