Bald necks and red bottoms!!

[Anonymous]

Hi, I'm new to this forum so please forgive my subject title! I've been keeping hens for about 3 years - mainly wee red hens. Over the last few months I noticed that they've started to loose the feathers on front of their necks, but put it down to giving them drinking water in buckets. The winter was very severe with us, and the only way we could keep their drinking water was in buckets which we broke the ice on each morning and afternoon. I thought that they were rubbing their necks while reaching for the water. But now I've noticed that even though we've got rid of the buckets - they're still bald and on top of that a couple of them have lost the feathers on their bottoms! They seem healthy otherwise but the bald bottoms look very red. What's happening? Thank you in advance.

 

[Davidd]

Hello and welcome- if they have lost feathers then they will not grow more until they moult- normally in the autumn- have you seem any of them pecking at each other? If it is just baldness and no wounds/cuts/blood i would check for lice- and powder the birds with louse powder- and then just keep am eye on them- if there are wounds/blood then you need to separate the bleeding bird until the wounds heal. - the area around the vent can be very red- that is natural- as long as it isn't bleeding/wounds/swollen. Most birds will lose some feathers over the year - some lots more than others but like i said they only moult once a year so will regrow them then.
regards, David

 

[Anonymous]

I haven't noticed any pecking going on and there's no blood visable on their necks or head. I am more worried about the couple with the red bottoms. The baldness would be about the size of a saucer and the skin is really quite red and angry looking - would lice cause this and if so what would I use to treat them? Do I need to treat all my hens - about 40 of them - and what would be the best way? Sorry so many questions!

 

[Davidd]

Hi,it is probably not lice but you need to eliminate the possibility- you need to catch a few birds and check for lice- around the vent- under the wings and on the back of the neck- if none then they must be pulling the feathers out. It can be a sign of boredom- do they free range? Or are they in a coop/run? Chickens will peck at the first sign of blood/redness-and it can very quickly become a habit.
regards, David

 

[Anonymous]

They're all free range. Out all day in a large field but not a lot of grass at the moment. Thanks for the advice. I feel happier having "talked"!