4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[edharvey17]

Hi, recently our 2 year old and 8 month old hens have gone from fluffy bottomed to bare bottomed - any ideas????

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Are they all bare or is there perhaps one who's pecking at all the others?

[edharvey17]

Ah, one is still fluffy but I've never seen her pecking as they all get along well. The bare bit looks the same on both, the same size and area....

[edharvey17]

I've also just noticed it's the feathers that were a bit pooey from when they sometimes poo in their nest box and sleep in it before I get a chance to clean it out - all seems a bit odd to me!

[Redwing]

I would put money on it that the girl with her knickers is pecking the others!

 

I had one like that, just caught her in the act one day, she munched on feathers absent mindedly, particularly when a hen was roosting with her bottom on view

 

There was nothing aggressive about it with my girl, she wasnt even top of the pecking order - keep an eye out to see if you can see anything going on

[edharvey17]

ha ha I like the comment about the knickers! What if it is her? Just spray the others with purple spray and hope she gets bored?

[Snowy]

I also have a knicker plucker (or two ) but I haven't a clue who is the culprit

Purple spray will soothe sore skin, but won't deter a pecker. You need to try anti peck spray first, or ukadex. Be warned they smell absolutely foul, and they do need to be reapplied regularly.

[Egluntyne]

I resorted to bumperbits in the end as I couldn't fathom out who was causing the trouble, and Ukadex didn't seem to be working its usual magic.

 

New feathers are growing now.

[Gallina]

It's almost certainly pecking. They don't do it while you are watching, not because they are sly, but because they are only interested in you when you are paying attention to them.

 

The bottom fluff looks so attractive -- the hen who does it won't stop now. And it can lead to a nastier sort of pecking, so keep an eye on the situation.