Keeping Chickens Newsletter

Bonnie : First I would like to thank you for the great newsletter. I look forward to the information and great photos each month. I am new at raising chickens. I just started this year in the spring. I have read everything I can get my hands on about raising chickens. I live in an area where it is impossible to let my chickens free range but have built an enormous enclosed run for them. I have a few Buff Orpingtons, Black Austalorps, White Leghorns, Ameraucanas and two Silver Spangled Hamburgs. The problem I have encountered is the Buff Orpingtons are getting sores on their back ends. I have checked them over for lice and other sort of bugs and do not see any. The other breeds do not have any sort of sores or wounds on them. Is there a chance that they have caught something I can not see or are they being picked on by the other hens. Why is it only the Buff Orpingtons. What should I do to stop it if they are picking on them. Thank you for the help. I have attached some pictures of our feathered friends. Thank you Bonnie

My Reply : If you have active roosters then they can have their favourites who they visit more than the others - that can sometimes leave sore back and tail areas.

Other likelihood's for sore patches are lice and mites. During the day mites live on perches & nests so it is best to check after dark. Take a flash light and part the feathers around their rear ends and look at the skin. If you see tiny red or light brown insects that look like spiders crawling on your