Bright red skin, no feathers

[MadelineT]

One of my hens has BRIGHT red skin on her chest and stomach and has less and less feathers everytime I see her. It looks like she’s breaking them or plucking them out herself. I’ve never treated for lice or mites.. as these are my first chickens. (They’re about 1.5 years old.) I have examined her and can’t see lice or mites— but then again I’m not sure what I’m looking for. She has also stopped laying the past few days.

I’ve read a bit about Ivermectin, poultry dust, etc. but I don’t know the first thing about applying it!

Help!!

 

[Welshies]

Is she broody? Search for a nest of eggs in either the coop or run area. Many broody hens will pluck feathers from their breast for their nest and to keep their eggs warmer.

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like she may be getting feather picked by other chickens. Spend some time observing them. Look her over for lice and mites. At her age she may be nearing her first big molt or in the middle of it. Can you post any pictures? Giving a little extra protein in the diet can be helpful during molting or with feather picking. How much room do they have, and do they get outside to roam daily?

 

[MadelineT]

The molt came and went during September/October and all was well. But now her chest and stomach feathers look broken rather than little pin feathers.

I only have 3 hens and have never seen them peck each other. I’m thinking she’s pecking herself.

Not broody. I haven’t seen any egg nests and she hasn’t been acting normal compared to broody girl I dealt with this past spring!

Let me see if I can get some pics.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Holding off on advice until I see pics but posting to follow along.

 

[TwoCrows]

The skin will turn red where there are no feathers and will stay red until they grow back in. If the chest is going bare, its usually broodiness or each time they lay, they pluck a feather or two. If feathers are missing on the neck, its usually aggression and chasing by others. Feather loss at the butt is usually due to others plucking, sometimes mites. They can chew feathers off their breasts and thighs due to mites, lice can chew them off. Feather loss over the back is usually caused by overmating of the rooster.

Sounds like she is over grooming her feathers. Some of my girls groom feathers until they are just shafts or tiny pin like feathers. If feathers get chewed off, bare skin will turn red.

 

[Anon112]

Bumping this to see if anyone has any insight on my situation.

A few days ago I noticed that one of my Delawares had gone broody. By the time I got her off of the nest (it had only been one day), she had pulled out a ton of her chest feathers.

Yesterday I was in their run doing egg collection and I noticed what looked like a red bulge on her chest. The chest is very plucked, but the area over her crop was very red. I was worried, because her crop felt a bit squishier than normal (though it has been very rainy here).

I put her in a kennel in my barn overnight with no food or water. As of this morning, it seemed as if her crop had emptied (I couldn't tell if there was a little something left in her crop, or if I was feeling "past" her crop and into her chest). But the skin is still REALLY red. She had water but no food in her kennel. When I got home I gave her a small meal.

Her energy and appetite seem good.

Could it be a coincidence that the reddest patch was over her crop and this is just skin irritation from plucking her feathers? Could the crop filling have agitated the skin where she plucked her feathers, or cause the skin to scrape against something?

My concern, of course, is if she has an infection. It seems strange to me that the skin over the crop is so red while the other skin on her chest looks normal and healthy.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[TwoCrows]

Bumping this to see if anyone has any insight on my situation.

A few days ago I noticed that one of my Delawares had gone broody. By the time I got her off of the nest (it had only been one day), she had pulled out a ton of her chest feathers.

Yesterday I was in their run doing egg collection and I noticed what looked like a red bulge on her chest. The chest is very plucked, but the area over her crop was very red. I was worried, because her crop felt a bit squishier than normal (though it has been very rainy here).

I put her in a kennel in my barn overnight with no food or water. As of this morning, it seemed as if her crop had emptied (I couldn't tell if there was a little something left in her crop, or if I was feeling "past" her crop and into her chest). But the skin is still REALLY red. She had water but no food in her kennel. When I got home I gave her a small meal.

Her energy and appetite seem good.

Could it be a coincidence that the reddest patch was over her crop and this is just skin irritation from plucking her feathers? Could the crop filling have agitated the skin where she plucked her feathers, or cause the skin to scrape against something?

My concern, of course, is if she has an infection. It seems strange to me that the skin over the crop is so red while the other skin on her chest looks normal and healthy.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Sounds like just a broody thing. A chickens skin has a tendency to turn red where there aren't any feathers where there should be, especially where skin comes in contact with bedding, dirt or anything that causes abrasion, such as on a broody chest. Plucking feathers will cause this skin to turn red. Also, a hens body temperature rises when they go broody and this can cause reddening of the skin as well. Keep an eye on it but I don't think it's an issue or anything to worry about. Keep us posted though!

 

[Anon112]

Sounds like just a broody thing. A chickens skin has a tendency to turn red where there aren't any feathers where there should be, especially where skin comes in contact with bedding, dirt or anything that causes abrasion, such as on a broody chest. Plucking feathers will cause this skin to turn red. Also, a hens body temperature rises when they go broody and this can cause reddening of the skin as well. Keep an eye on it but I don't think it's an issue or anything to worry about. Keep us posted though!

Thank you for the reply. I've seen real redness from a freshly plucked chest (unfortunately my Delawares seem to go broody about twice a year, and since I work all day I sometimes don't get to them until the evening). I've also seen redness from a hen laying on eggs for several hours.

But at this point she's been on her own in the kennel for 18 hours or so and there's still this very distinct red "circle" over the area where her crop was full.

But like you say, maybe there was abrasion where the crop pushed her chest out and it's taking a while to chill out?

My plan is to keep her in the kennel and monitor her, keep giving her fresh water and small meals, and also continue doing a little crop massage and giving a little olive oil. Even if it isn't a crop issue, I figure a little oil and gentle massage shouldn't hurt. If it's still as red tomorrow, I will call my vet and try to get her in.

Thanks!

 

[TwoCrows]

Thank you for the reply. I've seen real redness from a freshly plucked chest (unfortunately my Delawares seem to go broody about twice a year, and since I work all day I sometimes don't get to them until the evening). I've also seen redness from a hen laying on eggs for several hours.

But at this point she's been on her own in the kennel for 18 hours or so and there's still this very distinct red "circle" over the area where her crop was full.

But like you say, maybe there was abrasion where the crop pushed her chest out and it's taking a while to chill out?

My plan is to keep her in the kennel and monitor her, keep giving her fresh water and small meals, and also continue doing a little crop massage and giving a little olive oil. Even if it isn't a crop issue, I figure a little oil and gentle massage shouldn't hurt. If it's still as red tomorrow, I will call my vet and try to get her in.

Thanks!

Check crops first in the morning only, before they have eaten or drank anything, this is the only time the crop should be empty. During the day they will be full so it's impossible to judge the crop. Olive oil really isn't good for chickens, some plain unsweetened yogurt or probiotics are better. If she definitely has a full crop in the morning, some Acidified Copper Sulfate in the water for a week will clear up any slow or sour crops. The red skin over the crop has nothing to do with what's going on inside the crop.