We have six black sex link and five golden wyandotte pullets (ten months old). They all have bare backs. We do not see them picking at each other (not severely anyway) and have not visibly noticed any bugs. The fellow at the feed store suggested heavily laying birds this age lose feathers. I find that hard to believe. I feed them twenty percent laying pellets, give a little scratch everyday, and provide additional treats like cabbage and tuna a couple of times a week. By the way, chickens love tuna.
I notice that they try to feather out but the new pin feathers never come in.

Any suggestions? Do they have bugs or are they just crancky teenagers? Storey's Guide to Raising Poultry suggests that young birds exhibit this trait more often than older birds. Is this something they grow out of?

Thanks
Chris

I'm trying not to participate too much, but I've been on the computer all day. Once you start checking The Coop regularly, it seems to become an addiction.

Chris, we have a 'bald-back' gene in our flocks that sounds a lot like what you described. We are certain it is not due to a picking problem. Some time was invested on our parts to find out the cause of this. The birds were isolated for a while when it first showed up and picking by other birds was impossible. The condition is evident even before the birds are big enough to pick feathers out of each other. After the chicks lose their down and start getting feathers, the feathers on the back just don't grow in. As they get older, pin feathers are evident on their backs, but the pin feathers don't seem to grow. In our birds, the back feathers do finally come in, but it can take as long as a year. I could post a picture here if you are interested in seeing this 'bald back' condition as it is in our flocks.

It first showed up in males here and the first ones were butchered for the dinner table. Breeding records indicate the gene traces back to an Ameraucana male that came from Murry McMurray originally. No one was paying attention to this when we raised that chicken and I don't remember if he had bald-back or not. But a lot of his progeny do.

In our case, the birds that have bald-back are all related genetically. That isn't the case for you in all probability, since you have Wyandottes and Sex-Links. Your situation may well be different from ours.

Let me know if you would like me to post a picture here.

Leee,

Thanks for the reply. Do not worry about participating too much. Anyway, I thought I had posted that we gave one pullet away in September(I did not, sorry). She was nicknamed Red and was abusive to all. Red was five months old when we gave her to a fellow with many horses, goats, geese, ducks, and chickens. Oddly enough, Red is his prized hen. She is best friends with the goat, riding him around when it is cold. Red is a perfect Golden Laced Wyandotte, the fair in ABQ had not one, of any breed, better. She thrives in the very open environmennt he provides, four acres of horse pasture to roam. However, a coyote claims on average one hen per month of his flock. Anyway, she would pick a feather to eat; she would bring blood and like it. she would drink blood and like it.

When Red left we had two pullets with slightly bald backs, one bloody, which is why red left. At that time, I put the very injured girl into a private cage until her wounds healed. Since that time all pullets have been losing feathers on thier backs. Did Red teach them bad habits? I don't know. By the way, they have very nice digs, a timber framed, heated (I keep it above 32 F) chicken house with a 10 by 12 run kept free of snow. From what I have read this is plenty for eleven hens? Anyways, thanks for the help.
Chris

Leee,

I would also add that these birds are my wife's pets. The dinner table is not an option! If it were, I would have new pullets this spring.

Thanks
Chris

Sometimes mice will chew off the feathers of chickens to use for nests. Usually not to the skin, but it is possible. They are terrible for exhibition chickens that you are trying to get into perfect feather.

Dear All,

We have this problem, could the rooster be pulling out their feathers when he mounts them? We were going to isolate him to see if this helps. The problem with the bare skin is that in the last 2 weeks two have been killed by the other hens pecking them to death on their bare backs. We thought that maybe the rooster scratched them and you know what chickens do when they see blood. We have thought about smearing stop pick on their backs. Any other ideas?

Thanks, Jane