chicken has red, sore butt

[kathyzimmy]

My 1 1/2 year old buffed orpington has a sore looking, red butt. I have looked for bugs twice, and don't see them. I have not seen her pecking at her bottom. She seems to act normally. Suggestions please?

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like she has had some feather picking back there. Can you examine a few of your other hens by cupping your hand between their legs to feel for any enlargement, and then compare her lower belly. When the feathers are missing and the bottom is red, it can look enlarged.

A few things can be used to stop the pecking, such as pine tar, bag balm, pick no more cream, vicks or other bad tasting ointments. BluKote spray to color the red skin blue may work, but some report that it may attract more pecking. I have had good luck with it. The pine tar is where I would start.

If her lower belly is enlarged, she could be fat, laying internally, or have some ascites.

 

[WindingRoad]

My 1 1/2 year old buffed orpington has a sore looking, red butt. I have looked for bugs twice, and don't see them. I have not seen her pecking at her bottom. She seems to act normally. Suggestions please?

Sometimes pecking indicates that chickens might be deficient in protein. What are you feeding your birds? % protein?

BTW. Bag Balm can heal most anything. If it works on cows udders torn up by barbed wire etc. it can work on most everything. I use it all the time. A tin lasts forever.