[3ps]

Hi,

My light sussex is looking very bald around the posterior.

When she bends over to peck at the ground there is an area about 4inches in diameter that is just featherless.

Any ideas what could be causing this?

Thanks.

[joyfull]

Hi how old is she? is she going through a moult perhaps.

[hillfooter]

If she hasn't moulted this year they will almost certainly grow back after the moult.  I've Buff & Light Sussex and they get very loose feathered around moult time.  Just check you don't have a feather pecker who's causing it.  If so and during the moult when the feathers start to grow back it might be a good idea to fit a bit to the culprit to prevent her plucking the new blood filled feathers.  Once the new feathers are established you can remove it.  I've had to fit a bit this year for the first time in a few years as I've got a Vorwerk who's taken a fancy to a Buff Sussex' back feathers as they were coming through.  Since fitting this the feathers have come on really well and I'll be able to remove the bit in a couple of weeks time.

[3ps]

OK thanks for the info.

She is about 40weeks old. I have her in with a blue/black maran of the same age, and a barred rock (very timid) and RIR of a few months younger. TBH I would say she is the most narky of the bunch and perhaps the leader so I was assuming she wasn't being pecked but rather had a disease of some kind. I will keep ask my wife to keep an eye out for a pecker (ooeer!)

[sallylouise]

hi there,
I would keep an eye out for hen peckers I noticed my top bird had a bald butt and I have just had to seperate her as she was being hen pecked big time, not saying yours has benn but keep an eye because my chicken bless her is not a happy girl at the moment