What is this

[Hannah2911]

I just got home from vacation and two of my chickens bums don’t look normal to me. They have some feathers missing and it looks puffy I think. They act normal. I looked around and from what I can see the poo in there is normal but I’ll have to keep an eye out now that I’m home. Anyone know what would cause this?

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like feather picking. Others may do this to her while they are hanging out or on the roost, or she might be doing some herself. Overcrowding, bullies, boredom from not getting out to roam, or too little protein in the diet can be causes. What are you feeding? Look over her skin under her vent and belly for any lice or eggs at the base of feathers, or mites.

 

[Hannah2911]

It looks like feather picking. Others may do this to her while they are hanging out or on the roost, or she might be doing some herself. Overcrowding, bullies, boredom from not getting out to roam, or too little protein in the diet can be causes. What are you feeding? Look over her skin under her vent and belly for any lice or eggs at the base of feathers, or mites.

I just went out and checked. No bugs I can see. They aren’t free range. There are six and not counting the house they have an 8’ x 12’ run so it should be plenty big. I feed nutrena layer feed 17% protein. I give them lettuce, scratch, mealworms or black fly larva as treats every couple days. Not all that at once just one of those options. Scratch is nutrena also. She is still laying eggs. Yj me her belly looks big and a couple of them feel soft but I don’t know if it felt harder under there to begin with. These are my first birds. I keep them clean and have done all I can to care for them well. I was scared of water belly but they are not acting sick and only 8-9 months old

 

[Eggcessive]

Scratch has low protein, only 7%. I would only use it very rarely as a treat. All flock or flock raiser feed has 20% protein, and can be used to increase the protein, as long as you have a little crushed oyster shell for extra calcium for layers. A little scrambled egg bits tossed to each of them can offer interest and extra protein. I would spend some time observing them during the day, and after roost time to look for feather picking. It can be a bad habit, and can lead to injury if severe. Placing some things they can explore and scratch it can give some interest.

 

[Hannah2911]

Scratch has low protein, only 7%. I would only use it very rarely as a treat. All flock or flock raiser feed has 20% protein, and can be used to increase the protein, as long as you have a little crushed oyster shell for extra calcium for layers. A little scrambled egg bits tossed to each of them can offer interest and extra protein. I would spend some time observing them during the day, and after roost time to look for feather picking. It can be a bad habit, and can lead to injury if severe. Placing some things they can explore and scratch it can give some interest.

I will watch for that. I see that one pick on a couple but not bad but never seen any pick on her. I watch them through the day bc I put cameras out but I haven’t seen that. I do have oyster shells in there too in a different feeder. They have a couple swings and perch in the run and a couple toys that hang to peck on. It they typically leave them alone. I do only scratch sometimes not every day. I could switch to a higher protein food and let them get the oyster shells tho. You don’t think this is water belly right?