Why?

[Julieanne303]

There are no signs of mites or fleas. We use diatomaceous earth. I bought verkon but not used it yet for the run Using worming food Covered her in the purple antibiotic stuff. Cider vinegar. Her Combe is lovely and red and she happy. What on Earth is wrong. ? This has been like it since last year. I feel so so sorry for her

 

[Kathy Golla]

Do you have a rooster? I can see the black hen in the picture also has some damage.

 

[Cryss]

Do you have a rooster? I can see the black hen in the picture also has some damage.

X2

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. To me, it appears to be feather picking and/or rooster damage from overmating. Some hens are favorites or very docile to young roosters. Feather picking can be a result of overcrowding, not getting out of the run to free range, feeding less than 16% protein or too many treats, too much light or too hot in the coop. I would feed some all flock or flock raiser feed with 20% protein, plus provide oyster shell in a separate container to increase the protein. Also, pine tar is available at feed stores in the horse supplies, and and applying it on the bare skin will sometimes prevent pecking. Nustock cream also works well. The feathers may not grow back until the hen molts. Here are some links for those products:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...O2nAM5TqjW9EYrG-VIf2QRDcJJgN-txxoCvo4QAvD_BwE

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HHSIYQ/?tag=backy-20

 

[Julieanne303]

X2

No all girls

 

[Julieanne303]

No way pecking. Never thought of that as they are all happy. The coop is for 12 big birds we only have 3. They are cleaned every week. Grace the black one looses a bit round her tail now and again. But the other two are very pretty

 

[alexisrambles]

Huh! That's so odd @Julieanne303.
I'd definitely have said rooster damage from the area that's in.

As an aside, one of my girls had similar damage on her wings and it was a combo of two things.
A- She had mites. DE doesn't do the job all the time. I had to get the spray. Here's the thread I posted with everyone's advice for me!

B- She wasn't getting enough protein. I upped her food to a 24% protein mix and she recovered pretty quickly after I treated her for the mites too.

 

[Julieanne303]

I will 100% be getting some of that food. Just going to look now Thank you

 

[Matilda Belle]

No way pecking. Never thought of that as they are all happy. The coop is for 12 big birds we only have 3. They are cleaned every week. Grace the black one looses a bit round her tail now and again. But the other two are very pretty

What are the coop dimensions? Do they free range during the day or do you have a run?

 

[Eggcessive]

Her lower belly looks a little enlarged as well. Can you compare hers with the other hens’ bellies. An enlarged or tight lower abdomen can sometimes be a sign of ascites, a cystic oviduct, or internal laying.

Some chickens will get along just fine, and may reach over and pull out feathers while they are on the roost in the evening. Some will just sit there and let the others pick them. Some may pick at their own feathers if there is irritation. As said, once the feather loss happens, they won’t grow back until the next molt.