What is this!?

[Lindsay_Loo]

Hi everyone,
Looking to diagnose this condition and any instruction or suggestions to help treat it. I have had 2 chickens perish after losing the feathers on their necks, bellies and backsides. I thought it was molting but the areas never regrew feathers and became red raw and the feathers look like they are being gnawed off or something!? Only one chicken at a time seems to be affected by this... until it gets really skinny and dies. Please help!!

 

[Mylied]

Mites? There's poultry dust you can powder them with that will kill mites. You need to clean their whole pen too and powder it.

 

[Sara Ranch]

Looks like something is plucking the feathers out.

It could be other chickens. If it is, that chicken may be denied food & water.

I've adopted some beat up chickens (some in worse condition than yours pictured). Usually separation works. More feed dishes out. Gunk put on the affected areas.

Will you show us pics of coop & run?

How many chickens? Gender? Age? Breed?

 

[sourland]

Other birds are feather plucking/pecking. Probably the most pristine birds in the flock are the culprits. Have you checked your flock for worms or wormed them ?

 

[Lindsay_Loo]

Would I be able to see the mites? It’s only ever one of them... the others done have it.

What would I do to check for worms or to deworm them?

I only have three hens now. Used to have 6.

 

[coach723]

Here is an article with lots of pictures for identifying lice/mites. Some mites only feed at night, so you will need to also examine them after dark when they've gone to roost. Use a flashlight or bright lantern to check for those. http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html
If you have lice/mites you will need to clean and treat the coop also.
I'm kind of leaning towards thinking it's feather picking also. That can happen when birds are over crowded, bored, or don't have enough protein in their diet. Most common reason is not enough space, observing them is the best way to see if that's going on. It may be happening on the roosts.
For checking for internal parasites, the best way is a fecal float test. See if you can find a local vet that will do this (same test for all animals - some will do without seeing the bird, some will not) or you can use a mail order test, like this: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petco...TC_P_WEB_CJ_FY16_2617611-_-8347138-_-11030085
Once you know what parasite/worm you are treating for, if necessary, then you can choose the best medication for that. Hope that helps.

 

[Eggcessive]

That also looks like feather picking by another chicken to me. Usually it happens due to overcrowding, boredom from not being able to get out and roam, or a lack of protein in the diet. Are you feeding a complete chicken feed with at least 16-20% protein as their diet? Feather picking can lead to vent pecking and cannibalism. It can be common for a chicken to have a few feathers picked in any flock, but if you have experienced deaths, it might help you to sit in a chair and spend some time watching flock dynamics. On occasion a bully needs to be separated or removed permanently.