Wrapped my chicken's wings due to pecking sores

[nugget04]

I wasn't criticizing you at all. It just makes me wonder what's causing it. It doesn't seem feasible that it's totally due to having been pecked. I wonder if it could be an allergy? Has she been thoroughly checked for mites? Although it seems if she has them, the birds around her would, too. Have you had her to a vet? Have you tried keeping the lesions coated with Neosporin? Just seems really odd.

I appreciate the help. I'm at a loss, because I feel like I've tried everything (vet visit, checked for mites countless times, Banixx, warm epsom salt baths (not with OPEN wounds), and Vaseline on lesions, but not Neosporin- I will have to try that). The fact that the other chickens have had absolutely no problems whatsoever also has me confused, and the fact that the injured chicken lays good eggs, as I would assume her egg production would be noticeably affected by a lack of vitamins. She has been acting more like herself the last few hours, laying in the sun and has enough energy to run (to join the other chickens around the yard). I keep a fairly close eye on her, and she doesn't seem to be picking at herself enough to cause severe feather loss (except for the last few days that she has been picking at the sore spots on her wings). She seems like a very happy, unbothered chicken (aside from the last few days), so I still have no clue how to narrow down my search of the causes of her feather loss. The previous owner (distant relative) got her as a few-month-old chick, but I believe she has had (minimal) bald spots since they originally came in.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I appreciate the help. I'm at a loss, because I feel like I've tried everything (vet visit, checked for mites countless times, Banixx, warm epsom salt baths (not with OPEN wounds), and Vaseline on lesions, but not Neosporin- I will have to try that). The fact that the other chickens have had absolutely no problems whatsoever also has me confused, and the fact that the injured chicken lays good eggs, as I would assume her egg production would be noticeably affected by a lack of vitamins. She has been acting more like herself the last few hours, laying in the sun and has enough energy to run (to join the other chickens around the yard). I keep a fairly close eye on her, and she doesn't seem to be picking at herself enough to cause severe feather loss (except for the last few days that she has been picking at the sore spots on her wings). She seems like a very happy, unbothered chicken (aside from the last few days), so I still have no clue how to narrow down my search of the causes of her feather loss. The previous owner (distant relative) got her as a few-month-old chick, but I believe she has had (minimal) bald spots since they originally came in.

Very odd. I wish you luck. Maybe @Eggcessive or @coach723 have some ideas. I'll be gone until tomorrow night.

 

[Eggcessive]

Are you certain the others are not doing some of the feather picking? What do you feed them? If she is doing all of the pecking, I wonder if she has some sort of deficiency, mineral or vitamin? Or a lack of protein? Do you give many extras that could be diluting the protein and balance of her chickens feed? If the others see the red on her, they would normally be tempted to peck as well. Is there any overcrowding, too much light in the nesting area, stress from roosters? Just wondering about the cause. I hope that you figure this out. I would increase the protein in her feed to 20% or use all flock feed with some crushed oyster shell in a separate container.

 

[nugget04]

Very odd. I wish you luck. Maybe @Eggcessive or @coach723 have some ideas. I'll be gone until tomorrow night.

Thank you!

 

[coach723]

A couple more thoughts...

I know you said that she's been checked for mites many times, but have they looked for deplumbing mites specifically? Those burrow into the skin at the base of feathers and are so irritating that they will pluck themselves trying to get relief. They are microscopic and it takes a microscope to ID them. Just want to make sure all bases have been covered. Numbers can remain low at times and then increase during times of stress. They can also cause anemia and could contribute to the weakness.
Methionine deficiency can also cause feather loss or feather eating, excerpt from one article below.
I have had individual birds that did not digest certain feeds well, thus did not absorb nutrients well, probably a genetic or developmental thing, so sometimes switching feeds is a good thing to try, just to rule that in or out. Ingredients can vary even in the same feed over time, since supply chain and what is available also vary.

Article excerpt:
"The most common reason that feathers do not develop is a deficiency of a critical protein constituent (amino acid) from the diet of the birds. The feathers of birds contain high levels of a subunit of proteins called "methionine." Methionine is one of only a few amino acids that contain sulfur, and sulfur is a major constituent of feathers. If bird diets are deficient in any single amino acid, it will most likely be methionine. An adequate level of methionine is required in the diet and a deficiency results in reduced growth and feather development. A methionine deficient bird will tend to eat feathers in an attempt to satisfy a craving for this amino acid. A bird may even pull them from its own body.

Few ingredients used in making poultry diets contain adequate amounts of methionine, so manufactured methionine must be added to the dietary mixture to ensure that the birds receive an adequate amount. All quality poultry feeds are designed to contain adequate methionine and prevent reduced body growth and feather development. However, if additional grains (such as corn) are fed with the complete feed, then the amount of methionine consumed by the bird can be inadequate for providing growth and feather development. Feeding of additional grains with complete poultry feeds is not recommended."

 

[nugget04]

Are you certain the others are not doing some of the feather picking? What do you feed them? If she is doing all of the pecking, I wonder if she has some sort of deficiency, mineral or vitamin? Or a lack of protein? Do you give many extras that could be diluting the protein and balance of her chickens feed? If the others see the red on her, they would normally be tempted to peck as well. Is there any overcrowding, too much light in the nesting area, stress from roosters? Just wondering about the cause. I hope that you figure this out. I would increase the protein in her feed to 20% or use all flock feed with some crushed oyster shell in a separate container.

Firstly, thank you for the help. I am sure the other hen (only have two currently) is not pecking at her, as I have had a 24/h camera on them repeatedly in the past to ensure there was no bullying. I feed them Layer Feed and cracked corn (from the local tractor/farm supply store), but also feed them (depending on the day and what I have available): lettuce, berries, meat scraps, kale, live mealworms, sunflower seeds, cooked egg, peas, pumpkin, lentils, other seeds, cooked egg, peas, and some other things that I can't list off the top of my head. This is all done in moderation, but I do try to focus on the proteins. She also eats the proper amount of feed each day, so I would hope that the portions are small enough as to not negatively affect her vitamin/protein intake. The other chicken (I currently only have two hens in this coop/run) is not a problem, and there is definitely no overcrowding in the coop. Conditions are dark and dry in the nesting area, and I have no roosters to blame the issue on. I really appreciate the advice, and will try to focus more on proteins for her. I will also include crushed oyster more consistently. Thank you.

 

[coach723]

Corn in particular can really dilute their vitamin/trace nutrient balance. I would discontinue the treats (all of them) for a while, then make them only very occasional, especially for her. See if with some time, and lack of all those extra's, it makes a difference. Every bird is a little different, and what may be fine for one can affect another much more. Since she seems to have had this issue always, she may have issues (genetic, internal, digestive) that are making her more sensitive. It may be as simple as ensuring she only has fresh, balanced feed. Giving her a higher protein feed, in the 18-20 percent range will help with feather regrowth.

 

[nugget04]

A couple more thoughts...

I know you said that she's been checked for mites many times, but have they looked for deplumbing mites specifically? Those burrow into the skin at the base of feathers and are so irritating that they will pluck themselves trying to get relief. They are microscopic and it takes a microscope to ID them. Just want to make sure all bases have been covered. Numbers can remain low at times and then increase during times of stress. They can also cause anemia and could contribute to the weakness.
Methionine deficiency can also cause feather loss or feather eating, excerpt from one article below.
I have had individual birds that did not digest certain feeds well, thus did not absorb nutrients well, probably a genetic or developmental thing, so sometimes switching feeds is a good thing to try, just to rule that in or out. Ingredients can vary even in the same feed over time, since supply chain and what is available also vary.

Article excerpt:
"The most common reason that feathers do not develop is a deficiency of a critical protein constituent (amino acid) from the diet of the birds. The feathers of birds contain high levels of a subunit of proteins called "methionine." Methionine is one of only a few amino acids that contain sulfur, and sulfur is a major constituent of feathers. If bird diets are deficient in any single amino acid, it will most likely be methionine. An adequate level of methionine is required in the diet and a deficiency results in reduced growth and feather development. A methionine deficient bird will tend to eat feathers in an attempt to satisfy a craving for this amino acid. A bird may even pull them from its own body.

Few ingredients used in making poultry diets contain adequate amounts of methionine, so manufactured methionine must be added to the dietary mixture to ensure that the birds receive an adequate amount. All quality poultry feeds are designed to contain adequate methionine and prevent reduced body growth and feather development. However, if additional grains (such as corn) are fed with the complete feed, then the amount of methionine consumed by the bird can be inadequate for providing growth and feather development. Feeding of additional grains with complete poultry feeds is not recommended."

Yes, she has been checked for deplumbing mites when this issue occurred in the past (but I guess it wouldn't hurt to have her checked again...). I would also think the other hen in the coop would have had a mite issue if this were the case, but she has always been fully feathered, and molted on a regular schedule. My hen has never struggled with weakness in the past (except for the last few days... she seems to be improving now), and has never had a pale/discoloured comb, which I find odd considering the feather loss, because other than her appearance from time to time, she is overall a happy hen, and the only regular issue seems to be a loss of feathers. I would think she's getting an adequate amount of methionine with her diet, but I will be sure to follow the article's advice on too much additional grain in the feed, and by the sounds of it, I will look into changing her feed entirely (I have done this once in the past, but not noticed a difference in any of my hens) and hope that I see some results. Thank you very much.

 

[nugget04]

Corn in particular can really dilute their vitamin/trace nutrient balance. I would discontinue the treats (all of them) for a while, then make them only very occasional, especially for her. See if with some time, and lack of all those extra's, it makes a difference. Every bird is a little different, and what may be fine for one can affect another much more. Since she seems to have had this issue always, she may have issues (genetic, internal, digestive) that are making her more sensitive. It may be as simple as ensuring she only has fresh, balanced feed. Giving her a higher protein feed, in the 18-20 percent range will help with feather regrowth.

She won't like missing out on blueberries, but I will take the advice! A few replies on here have shown me that as much as they like the corn, it is worth it to remove it from her diet, especially if it will help me to rule something out. Would you suggest that I also hold back on the high-protein 'treats'? Or should I continue with those in moderation? Thank you for the help.

 

[FrostRanger]

She won't like missing out on blueberries, but I will take the advice! A few replies on here have shown me that as much as they like the corn, it is worth it to remove it from her diet, especially if it will help me to rule something out. Would you suggest that I also hold back on the high-protein 'treats'? Or should I continue with those in moderation? Thank you for the help.

It's better to feed a high protein feed rather than attempt to supplement protein through treats