Info On Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, & Other Poultry.
Helping the world raise chickens successfully since 1995!

Help!! Today I went out to the hen house and saw one of my 1 1/2 month old chicks with her back open down by her tail. I thought she had been pecked at by others, so I removed her. As I was inspecting her, I noticed her skin underneath the feathers, the skin was dry and like leather.
Then I went back to the other chicks and noticed many of them had leathery skin and the feathers were starting to be missing over about her rump.
My older chickens share the hen house (but now the two are separated by a board) and when the older chickens lost some of their feathers, I thought of molting. Now, I see their necks are going bald too!!
1) What do I do about the bloody one? She is eating & drinking. I didn't want to leave her out alone, so I put her back in the hen house for tonight and move her back to her private area tomorrow;
2) What is wrong with everybody? What should I do? Is there a solution? Are they past the point where I can help them? These are laying hens only, so I don't want to have contaminated eggs. I need help, please!!

Stupid question do they have constant water? I would keep out the chick until healed and separate one or two more with her. So when you introduce back they have 3 to pick at instead of one. I did this with a sick one I had and it worked. A also then put them in a cage with the rest to see them for a while before reintroducing them. When mine pecked necks like that I fed more food and checked for mites. The food worked. You may also have a bug of some sort. Hang a cabbage or some vegetable for them to peck on in the coop/someone also said califlower. I have used cabbage and it works. (This is for boredom) Do they freerange?

They have a fenced in chicken yard. I live in an older subdivision. I have one acre. Usually, in the evenings, I let the older ones out to free range for a couple of hours. But my husband recently planted some vegetable plants and didn't want them out until he hooked up the electric fence around the garden. Last night the older ones were out. About the food and water, and I feel really terrible about this, I thought they did have food and water on Tuesday. My husband checked on them on Tuesday and said all was well. When I went out to check on them on Wednesday, there was nothing, and the hurt chick was in the corner. How do I check for mites, or do I just do mite dusting, etc just to be cautious? Thanks!!

Molting is normal. The mites I have had can be seen with the naked eye. Really look around nose,eyes, comb and move feathers around then turn belly up and check under wings around tail... If you see movement of dots such as red dots, white dots, black dots, bugs... you have mites. I got rid of them without dusting or pesticides. I put cedar mulch in their coop and keep fresh about every month or every other month (Make sure the chicks are old enough not to eat and do not mistake mulch for food can make them sick). Can dust with diatoneous earth DE (check my spelling)It is natural, but use food grade only. I have to fill my water containers 2 or 3 times a day in hot weather they drink alot. Where is the sick one bloody did you put any antibiotic ointment on it... How's she doing?