Spring time Molt?? PICTURES ADDED - #9

[sotelomary]

I'm not sure if this helps...Two out of my 5 birds had similar feather loss like yours. One of my EE's neck looks just like yours. Since I didn't see one feather on the coop and I saw one hen pick and eat a feather off another one, I knew it was feather picking. I will be putting peepers on all 5 to discourage this behavior. I choose to put on all 5 instead of just the "picker" just incase someone else has picked up this behavior without me being aware of it.

Mary

 

[cluckers&quackers]

I don't have lots of years of experience with chickens, like many on here do. But in the experience I do have, when I find small spots like that I have been able to associate it with hens pecking each other. With the bare bottoms I have usually found them on my birds that lay consistantly, and was told that it is a normal sign of a bird laying regularly. Someone with more experience may be able to comment as to weather that is true or not.

 

[dawg53]

I'd check them for lice/mites if I were you. If it's not that,then it's molt. You would probably observe them feather picking it that was the case.

 

[acid_chipmunk]

My girls look the same way, except for my BR and she is the feather picker. I definitley say it is pickers. I have tried adding more protein to their diet and she still does it. I am either going to have to rehome her or she is going in my freezer. My poor SLW looks awful and my EE doesn't have any tail feathers at all!

 

[dawg53]

There are anti pick products that are sold at TSC,feed stores or online,for example: Rooster Booster (brand name) black salve. It is an anti pick black goop that comes in a small jar. Just put it on the area your chicken is being picked/pecked at and it'll discourage others from picking once they get a taste of that stuff. Black salve also heals minor scrapes and scratches.

 

[Break an Egg]

Do you have a rooster? They can be a bit hard on the hens, and that is what it looks like to me here. They have chicken saddles which are to keep the feathers from coming off when the rooster is mating. Also the neck feathers- I've seen a rooster pull feathers like that on a young hen that wasn't cooperating with mating. lol

 

[newchicksnducks]

No roosters here...Although I've never seen them picking feathers, the more I read about it, the more I'm leaning towards that instead of molting. My egg production has actually INCREASED during this past month or so that I've noticed the fleather loss...the opposite from what molting causes. They had been on "lockdown" in the coop after the loss of 2 birds in December, with just being out in the past 3 weeks or so due to nicer weather and some modifications being made to the run to make it more secure (aka hawk proof!). Hopefully, if it was feather picking, the behavior will cease with the change of routine and extra space to play, etc. I have purchased some BOSS, and give a heavy cup full scattered in the run for them to peck at. I had used flock block, cabbage, and scratch in the coop during the winter to help eliminate boredom. Coop is 8x8 for 13 girls. I would assume if it was feather picking, the culprit(s) would be the ones that show no sign of feather loss - my GLW, Jersey, and BO. I'll continue to monitor them, and if anyone else has any ideas, please let me know!

 

[tammye]

You may have a feather plucker in the group. I have seen three of my girls, several times while on the roost plucking feathers off the others back side. The pluckers have all their feathers, while the others are missing them in the rear, looks just like your pictures. I was told to put blue kote on the bald spots, the hens don't like it . I also tried to separate them at night, pluckers from the pluckies.