Bare Belly 4 Week Old - Need Help!

[LadyLouCupcake]

I'm sorry for the poor quality photo (grandmothers and camera phones don't always go well together).

I have in my photographed hand, a 4 week old Japanese Buff Black Tail. She is lovely, great spirited, and my little Josephine.

What's wrong-

Tonight we went out to clean the brooder, change water, and refresh the food, as we do every night. We decided to check all the chicks out as see who we thought was a pullet and who was a cockrel (I think we have that down).

When I pulled Josephine out, I noticed her chest was a strange texture. Upon further inspection, she is nearly bare of all feathers on her chest. She also has a bare spot on top of one wing and under another near her rear.

I gave her a small bath of HIGHLY diluted iodine, and now she's nice and dry wrapped in a warm dry towel on my lap.

We inspected the other chicks, and have found no common ground of missing feathers. No one has anything missing except her.

I'm concerned as to what the proper course of action is here. I would prefer to heal her and keep her, but as a first time chicken owner, having never had this happen, I'm at a loss of what to do for this little gal next.

I appreciate your feedback.

 

[Haunted55]

I am not familiar with this breed of chicken and hopefully someone else who is will jump in. When you checked her did there seem to be redness to her skin as if she had mites or was being picked by the other birds? Now by the texture...are you saying that because of the lack of feathers or is there something about the skin?

 

[drumstick diva]

what a beautiful little chick - you could post in detail on "emergencies, diseases, injuries, cures, thread

 

[Judy]

It's not unusual for chicks to pull each others' feathers out, especially if they are feeling a bit croded and bored. Also, they tend to look ragged at this stage as they are rapidly growing. You mention that they are still in a brooder. It is possible that simply getting them outdoors in a coop, and where they can forage outdoors, will improve things. Brooders tend to be small and too warm. Obviously this depends partly on where you live. In our weather, 4 week old chicks are definitely ready to live in the coop.

 

[LadyLouCupcake]

It's not unusual for chicks to pull each others' feathers out, especially if they are feeling a bit croded and bored. Also, they tend to look ragged at this stage as they are rapidly growing. You mention that they are still in a brooder. It is possible that simply getting them outdoors in a coop, and where they can forage outdoors, will improve things. Brooders tend to be small and too warm. Obviously this depends partly on where you live. In our weather, 4 week old chicks are definitely ready to live in the coop.

I was concerned with them plucking each other. They shouldn't be crowded, their "brooder" is 3ftx2ft and they are currently sitting in a window catching the warms rays and have had the lamp off for the past week. We have a coop, however it is currently occupied by several bantam hens. With the size of these Japanese chicks in comparison to who is currently in the coop, I didn't want to put them out there. Do you think that I should?

what a beautiful little chick - you could post in detail on "emergencies, diseases, injuries, cures, thread

I am in the emergencies/diseases/injury and cures. What other detail do you need? I'd be more than happy to supply it.

I am not familiar with this breed of chicken and hopefully someone else who is will jump in. When you checked her did there seem to be redness to her skin as if she had mites or was being picked by the other birds? Now by the texture...are you saying that because of the lack of feathers or is there something about the skin?

There is no redness, it is all just normal pink. No sign of mite or lice. By texture I meant, it was bare skin with some small feather shoots coming out.

 

[Haunted55]

Is the coop big enough to allow you to make an area inside for them? Even a large dog crate, if it will leave enough room for the others, will work. I have a couple of that going on here and it's fine. Were you planning on adding these birds to your original bantams? If so, this is a perfect way for them to become acquainted with each other.

 

[LadyLouCupcake]

Ok, so I'll get them outside after this weekend (given the fireworks and such).

Now what do I do about her "nakedness"? Should I be putting antibiotics on it, washing it, what? She is missing an entire chest full of feathers, minus a few shoots.

 

[Haunted55]

Nothing. They'll grow back soon enough.

 

[LadyLouCupcake]

Thank you, everyone. I'll get them all out when the boom booms are over this weekend. Our hens were worn out last night after our neighbor's firework display.

 

[Haunted55]

Thank you, everyone. I'll get them all out when the boom booms are over this weekend. Our hens were worn out last night after our neighbor's firework display.

Lol! Mine have gotten used to the noise. I've been using what they call Boom Sticks to scare off hawks. The birds have learned to run to me when I'm setting it off, lol. They really are amazing critters! It's basically a roman candle and I have to say it works great! Doesn't go far enough to touch them, even though I would never aim for them anyways, but no chance of mistakes. Gotta love it!