# Bald backside



## mde (Jul 12, 2020)

Hello,

One of my six chickens has a bald backside the last few weeks. I read online and it seems like it can be many things from worms on to cancer. I went to take a photo now and notice in it some white threads. I googled that and it doesn't bring up anything specific. Four of the others are fine and one is losing feathers in the same area in a very mild way. I am complete new to this and don't know any other chicken keepers to ask.

Thanks!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The pic isn't the best but it looks like the skin is very red. Usually when it's red it's another bird doing that to them. 

Much of the time if another birds starts feather picking it's boredom or stress. How big of an area do they have in both the coop and outside? 

Mites can cause feather loss but not usually red skin.


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## mde (Jul 12, 2020)

About thirty square metres in the run and the coop is one metre fifteen by sixty or seventy cms with two roosting rods.
It is a really good camera and lens but I had to reduce it so much to post on here the detail is lost. I have zoomed in and done a screenshot. You can see the white threads better. I am guessing it is a parasite?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Those strings could be urates or worms. Since I can't see them or touch them I can't say for sure what that is. 

I'm going to holler at someone who is pretty good at figuring mysteries like hers.


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## mde (Jul 12, 2020)

Ah, yes. I forgot that birds pee solid.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I zoomed in as close as possible and did not see any worms. Even at max zoom I had a hard time trying to figure out what the white material might be. Since it's not urates, it could possibly be pieces of soft eggshell. Perhaps an internal layer.
Is her underside swollen? If so, ascites could be an issue.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

@mde Are those white pieces flat and segmented, and are there any rice-like segments moving around?


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

I'll let Dawg handle this but just a bit from my own experience, the naked red butt is usually mites. As for the white strings, Dawg...go for it


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## mde (Jul 12, 2020)

I examined the bird again today and there is no white substance. I took another photo of the bare patch and it looks even worse up close. Feel like there must be some cream or something I can put on. If it was a dog or cat I'd be really worried.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Is her belly swollen? Is she able to walk normal? She might have waterbelly aka ascites which is eventually an end of life situation.

The other possibility is liquid urates in feces has scalded her skin causing the redness, swelling and irritation. Treatment is applying Nu-Stock to the effected area. Shake the tube well, wear disposable gloves when applying it until it heals. Feathers will eventually grow back. It will heal the area and prevent picking from other birds.
It can be found in the equine section at a feed store. Hopefully it's not waterbelly.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That bright red does look like scald. Which is the better of the two problems dawg has listed. 

How squishy is that red area?


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## mde (Jul 12, 2020)

She seems fine. I had a bit of a run to catch her. She seems more away form the others but I would hardly expecting her to be jolly in her state. I touched the area and it seems soft. I didn't have the opportunity to compare with the others and did want to stress them by catching another. As I say one or maybe two are losing a little feathers in that area. I will look up waterbelly and see if that is likely given the circumstances. I live in a Franophone country so Nu-Stock brand is probably not available but I will see what treatments here contain the same ingredients. Is there a technical name for 'scald'? If I put in that word and chickens into Google I get endless results about getting their feathers off in processing. Thanks for the advice!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Your scald search isn't turning up quite what you were looking for. You will see this in other farm animals that are suffering from diarrhea. If not cleaned off the feces will burn the skin. 

There are creams and ointments that are used for diaper rash that can also be slathered on her. 

Look up internal laying. That will give you an idea of what water belly/ascites is. 

Sometimes it's good to know the region someone is in because not everyone has the same products available in other countries. I should have known something was up when you put the measurements in meters.


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## mde (Jul 12, 2020)

I found a good page on ascites:
https://farminence.com/water-belly-in-chickens/

Having read that I can say they are layers and we are almost at sea level. It would seem if that is the problem that is diet. The eat a a mostly grain based feed but we also given them a ton of leftovers, mostly vegetables but also some fruit. I am wondering is this might be causing the problem?

I keep having in mind she is showing this very badly and only two more of the other six have any feather loss and nothing like hers.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What have you figured out at this point?


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## mde (Jul 12, 2020)

I am absolutely baffled. As I say the circumstances don't fit ascites and in any case, it is one bird bad and one a mild case. 

The only thing I can say is none of the birds are getting worse. But neither are they getting any better ...


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Since you're not in the US you might have better access to a vet to get you some answers on what is going on. 

It's really difficult when we can't see the animal live and in person to give any kind of absolute answers. And your girls certainly have everyone stumped.


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## mde (Jul 12, 2020)

It is still going on but the baldness has moved away from the backside onto the back. It is clearer now that the feathers are not falling whole but disintegrating in pieces. I can see no parasites. Only her badly affected and maybe a couple of the others in a very minor way.


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## mde (Jul 12, 2020)

The picture link function is not working ... Here are direct links:


http://imgur.com/0gRptgj




http://imgur.com/0vBktNS




http://imgur.com/oqDLbsS


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That really looks like another bird is doing that. To know for certain, take her to a vet. They have the equipment to dive deeper into if there is feather mites present.


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## mde (Jul 12, 2020)

We live in the centre of the city. I don't know where we would even find an agricultural vet. It is suburban sprawl without end. Maybe I could drive an hour or so and hope to find somewhere ... Would probably cost me more than all the other birds put together too.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You're in Europe, correct? I am under the impression that any of your local vets are willing to see chickens and are quite good with them.

Did you try the diaper rash ointment we mentioned? If it's a feather picker it won't find it pleasant and will calm her reddened skin.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

What Robin said! and Welcome!


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Since you dont have Nu-Stock; as Robin mentioned, an ointment or cream for baby diaper rash should work. We have Desitin in our stores. It'll take time to heal, but it will heal.
Wear disposible gloves when applying it.


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