CluckWhisperer wrote: Thu Feb 13, 2025 5:49 am Hello everyone,
Were new to chicken keeping and could use some help diagnosing an issue in our flock. Our hens are around 7-8 months old and all actively laying. At first, we thought we were dealing with bullying, but now were not so sure. One particular hen seems more passive than the others and often stays inside the coop, avoiding interaction.
Weve also noticed multiple hens showing feather loss, especially on their legs and underbellies. While inspecting them, we found one hen with a bare patch just above her tail, and recently, we noticed fresh blood in that area. This patch has been there for a couple of weeks, but we havent seen any mites or lice, nor have we found any eggs or visible parasites on their skin.
Does this sound like pecking, parasites, or possibly something else? What would be the best approach for treatment? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
A bloody patch above the tail could be from overmating, even if you don't have a rooster,dominant hens sometimes mount others. If that's the case, a hen saddle may help protect her back. If mites are the issue, they often hide in hard-to-see spots like under the wings or vent area. Some infestations are nearly invisible until they get severe. You might also want to check for signs of stress,have there been any recent changes in the flock or environment?
