[wellies101]

Hi All

I have a chicken that is losing feathers towards her rear. It is also at the top of her left leg and running round the back a bit where the "back" feathers meet the "start of the "tail" feathers. The skin is red, but not swollen or weeping. The chicken is eating and laying fine, but I'd like to know if anything is up or if she's just moulting?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Aunt Sally]

Are any of the other chickens pecking at her feathers ?

[wellies101]

nope

[CluckyChicken]

It sounds like moulting.  Can you see spiky points on the bare skin?  they would be the new feathers coming through, but I have never had a chicken with red skin before.  Possibly she had pecked it if is cold or irritating with losing the feathers, or one of the others has pecked it.  Maybe someone else can help with that...  

CC

[bantam novice]

Hello, Wellies,

Sorry to hear about your Hen.

I suggest that you could spray her red/blooming patches with Gentian Violet (also called purple spray) to disguise the colour and act as an anti-septic.

Hens can be drawn to peck a red patches and the other girls could start to have a go at her.

Hens can look almost oven-ready when they are moulting and she probably is a little under the weather.  Something like poultry spice in her food or apple cider vinegar in her water might help.

The feathers should grow back

Good Luck and keep us posted

[wellies101]

I've been adding poultry spice to their food and I have some purple spray (i work with cattle!) so can give her a bit of that.