*UPDDATE PIC ADDED* what's wrong with her chest raw and irritated/bald

[mollymae99]

Hi, my 1 1/2 year old white cochin hen, Molly's, chest has been looking bad for about a week. Yesterday, we noticed it looked worse than ever. she has huge patches of missing feathers just on her chest area (nowhere else) and it looks really red and almost raw , irritated and parts are a little bloody. Hard to see in this pic... looks a lot worse in person. This pic was taken yesterday....looks worse today. What the heck is going on?

 

[wyliefarms]

Has she molted yet? Mine always look terrible when they do.

We have had broody one's with missing breast feathers too.

 

[mollymae99]

i don't know. i don't know how to tell (im new to this) she's not losing feathers anywhere else, just on her chest and it looks really sore. do u think it could be molting? she's still laying and eating.

 

[Wynette]

If she's just molting, it shouldn't be bloody...can you post a picture?

 

[mollymae99]

i have a pic on my desktop, but i don't know how to post it on here. if it were mites/lice, would it just be on her chest?

 

[nicelittlehens]

Hello, I have an older hen that’s molting and has a fire red skin patch on her behind. I’m treating her for mites and lice. Check out a web site I found that might be helpful to you. Google this name (POULTRY DISEASE DIAGNOSIS BASED ON SYMPTOMS) let me know if this helps.

 

[mollymae99]

can someone tell me how to post a pic of her? please? thanx

 

[mollymae99]

okay, i figured out how to post a pic...it's not too clear, looks worse in person...any ideas? thanx guys!

 

[wyliefarms]

Not sure. Looks like there are new feathers growing in. Could she of got caught in something?

 

[chickmamawannabe]

Has she been broody? She may be plucking her feathers to line the nest.