wha's up with my gals and how to treat....

[SparksNV]

Just noticed this today - I have 6 hens - these are pics of two of the them:

Top side of the chickens looks good but this is the underside. They are eating well, drinking well, and laying eggs. They are about 11 months old.

Thanks for any help!

Carol

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

If there laying in a lot of poo Poo has nitrogen in it and if they lay in it for large amounts of time it can burn the feathers even the skin. if there coop is clean as a whistle then I have no idea.

 

[SparksNV]

I have a very clean coop - I clean the poo out daily in the coop. The run is picked up at least once if not several times a day. The feathers every look matted..

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Good gravy. I have no idea.


Is it possible they are squeezing into some spot where they have to "drag" (for lack of a better word) their bellies over something before getting where they want to go?


Are all the girls like this?

 

[caspernc]

Did I dream about reading that when a hen goes broody she will have a bare belly? Need to seach this......brb.

 

[caspernc]

Yes I found it again. Some will pluck their belly feathers.

 

[SparksNV]

yes - well I don't know about Chuck and Meringue (hard to catch) but the other 4 do have some sort of issue with the stomach area. I can't think of anything they would be trying to get under.

Genny - I thought for sure you would know what was going on!!!

What should I do for them? Other than trying to figure out what is causing it....

Carol

 

[SparksNV]

The feathers are matted not just plucked. And would this happen on all of them at the same time?

 

[caspernc]

It really does look like they are crawling under the fence or barn or something.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Ok, been thinking about this. Seems to be mainly along the keel bone (breast bone) – from breast to rear (unless I am missing something) It also does not look “new” but like this might have happened a couple days/week ago.

Snow /poop – If they had a favorite spot under the coop – the snow might have kept them there more than normal. A thin pad of poo might have built up – just a thin layer – smooshed down – they are under there a bit more, so there is just a bit more poo than when they are walking around.

Any “new” landscaping?



You might try a bath to help clean up the feathers?

Do they have a favorite dust bathing area - if so how does it look?