Claire, My hens droop soft feathers during cool season while they are 14 month old,and egg production is declined to 45% there is no mite or lice, And I feed them very well the only thing I know about it is that the weather changes cause them cough and I treat them I both deworm and make a routine vaccine with Lasota booster still nothing change. Chickens commonly drop feathers, and there are many possible reasons as to why they may have started. You could also add some electrolyte to her water. New Member - Jamestown NY / Warren PA area - Help identifying Golden Comet Roos. So, I purchased 2 Barred Plymouth Rocks, 2 Buff Orpingtons, and 1 Welsummer. If they have less than this, they will bully each other and peck out each others feathers. Claire, Hello, I hope you can respond but I have noticed on my chicken/hen, on her belly she is missing some feathers but I dont know why. Claire, Before Christmas, someone dropped off a rooster and he found his way to my coop, containing 4 hens. Preening is a natural process that birds use to move oils from the glands at the bottom of their tails to their feathers. All was well (lots of eggs & happy Hens) until I got a new coop and moved them so I could 1. refurbish the old coop and 2. increase my flock. Maggots infest the dead skin cells of the chicken. She is the only hen out of a dozen that molts this completely and she keeps doing it every year. (maybe one egg a day). Regularly treat the chickens with external parasites like mites and lice. -loose stools -decrease or cessation of egg laying -depression -decreased appetite or increased appetite -loss of weight -Whitish patches/lesions in the mouth -pasting of vent feathers -swollen bloated abdomen Treatment: - Bathe the chicken to help cleanse and soothe the affected area. We rescued a debeaked hen from a bad situation where she was malnourished, bullied and pecked. They climb all over each other at night, wondering if they are clawing each other, but you would think the other chicks would have it to, I just cant figure this out. Im not sure if weather is a factor. We have 3 chickens , 1 of them is a bantam. Don't forget to dust the roosting bar with D.E. You may need to do this several times. You will notice when they start to molt, they lose feathers around their neck first. Youll only see this in the hens, because roosters will be the culprits behind this behavior. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Then in a few days reintroduce the bullies and see how you get on, They started laying end of November and were laying 8-10 eggs a day on average. Have you seen any pecking or redness on her? Claire. Im perplexed. Our article on flock behavior should help: If you do choose to apply diatomaceous earth, make sure you do so in a well-ventilated area preferably outside. thank you so much. The pecking order is the chickens hierarchy of status, and chickens at the top control the rest of the flock. This will make sure that no one hen is getting too much attention, and ti will also limit fighting between aggressive roosters. I am a bit concerned because its starting to get pretty cold and she would need those feathers to help keep warm. Sometimes chickens will pull their own feathers when they become broody. Even if you dont see mites or lice on your chickens, they can cause serious problems. Are they on a high protein feed? Claire. Hi Sandi, Chicken Losing Tail Feathers: Why + What to Do | PoultryLane Because preening happens around the year and is a natural behavior, you won't usually notice the results or think that you rhen is losing an abnormal amount of feathers at all. See no sign of that happening now. https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/7-reasons-why-your-chickens-stopped-laying-eggs/ I would suggest getting 1 or 2 new birds & integrate slowly. Does this happen with molting or is she being bullied. Is this likely to be a moult? I isolated the chicken with missing feathers and dont know what else to do. Could this be the cause? It could well be stress. Then, fill up your spray bottle with the solution and spray down all your chickens. You should cover any potential openings with inch hardware cloth. Claire, Hi Miki, Claire. If you're using the concentrate, follow the instructions that come with the bottle and mix a generous amount of it in a bucket. Please seek advice from a certified veterinarian in a case of emergency. It does sound very early for a young flock to molt. If you think bullying might be to blame for a loss of feathers on one or more of your birds, but you arent one hundred percent sure, its pretty easy to figure out whether thats the case. Make sure you read our article on molting If you can cross all of these other feather-loss causes off your list, its probably molt. We have just gotten 10 baby chickens and 9 out of the 10 of them are plucking the tail feathers out of the 10th one. Usually feather loss is caused by molting or the feathers being pulled out by other flock members. Corid not working for chicks with coccidia? I moved them about a month ago, and dont know if she I depressed from the move or not. The Americana, usually the best layer, stopped laying about a week ago and now shes losing a lot of feathers, like shedding all over. One of my bantams has just lost the feathers on her head. As they are getting the same feed/grit as at their previous owners. Don't turn the light off and on at various times, which can cause further molting. Vent Gleet | Hen Health | British Hen Welfare Trust When you have finished, dry the feet and generously apply VetRx remedy solution onto the feet, legs and comb if affected. In addition to changing their feed, you can also give them tonics. This will prevent opportunistic rodents from making their way into your coop. Claire. It also helps them examine themselves for parasites. It is most commonly seen in hens. This is very strange. The infection has spread a lot and it needs immediate attention. She is a hyline but our other hyline is fine. My chickens have molted all summer and stopped laying eggs except for my silkie. Preening This is a common cause of small amounts of feather loss. And if she is doing it to herself, what could be the cause? She doesnt seem bothered it but if there is anything we could do? I am going to try this protein block and appreciate the idea! https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/chicken-molting/. The frightened one has been looking very scruffy the last couple of days and this morning I went out to the coop to discover a large bald patch on her back. My other 2 chickens seem fine. I had them last year when they was on 6th months old and not seen this before am a little worried any advice. production has stopped. Hi Brian, Now I know she didnt have parasites or any illnesses. Check the corners of your coop and make sure there are no existing rodents nests in the coop. Claire, my barred hens are the same. What do you mean by broke off? Your birds will begin to drop feathers to put on new winter plumage. Its also been really hot here. A few more developed the same bald patch, it looks like feathers are trying to grow, some of the bald spots are bright red (no blood). Any other ideas or suggestions as to what we can do/change? Still no eggs. My chickens have not moulted yet but now I have some more information on moulting. She has stopped laying eggs this year and is only 2 years old. What should I do? This is normally closely linked to daylight hours. Do roosters lose their tail feathers and hopefully grow new healthy ones? Dont know whether its one or more of the 5 chickens. In times gone by when predators have scared my hens, they have been stopped laying for a week or two. I read you can mix some Apple Cider Vinegar to there water but what is the best ration? To do this, I place them in a separate smaller pan for a couple of days. If you want to know more about chickens, quail, and goats, The Happy Chicken Coop is the place to be! Do not light your chicken coop with intense light, as this will illuminate any potential redness. Like any other animal, your chickens might get bored if you dont give them enough space or activities. Its been very hot here lately. Once you figure out what caused the feather loss, you can address the problem at its source. Removing the chickens missing feathers from the flock temporarily. The other hen is fine. You can read more about it here. I have 5 hens, one of them is losing feathers around its neck area,I havent noticed any bullying etc, in fact they all get on fine, the hen is feeding and drinking well and still laying. When Chickens are Missing Feathers | Southern States Co-op All their beaks were broke off and feathers were damaged( broke off and missing) what can I do to help them, Hi Bridgette, Thoughts? One last thing we bought two others at the same time. I would recommend you read our molting article to make sure Hi Maria, I would not treat for lice or mites unless you actually see them. You might need to reevaluate your hen to rooster ratio and add or remove chickens as needed. You are using an out of date browser. There are feathers all over the place, but as for now he is the only obvious one to be looking noticeably less feathery. And you are correct about putting her in an already existing flock, she would be bullied, especially since she is already stressed. Know Your Chickens is a free resource dedicated to teaching backyard chicken owners more about their flock. Read our in depth guide on molting here: https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/chicken-molting/. Any suggestions would be great! This may result in the bird letting go of the chicken and flying away with a talon full of feathers instead. In most cases, molting begins 18-20 weeks after your chickens' hatch. She doesnt seem broody. No other feathers are missing and cant even tell what sex they are yet. The most common reason for a chicken losing their feathers is the annual molt; however, this isnt the only reason. Hi Joy, I have one about 3 months missing feathers on her back between her wings too dont see signs of mites. Preening is yet another reason that your chickens might lose some feathers. She recently has been losing a lot of feathers. I dont see lice, but you can see her wing underneath where she is losing feathers. When diagnosed, you need to sanitize the roost . I have a hen and a rooster probably Shamo breed, the rooster has lost some feathers and some feather straws are broken but the hen have lost most of the feathers on her back and the feather straws also broken and now they cant mate successfully, any suggestion? Ensure you displace the feathers with your hands and spray the shafts behind the neck, underneath the wings, and around the vent. Hi Fantasy, Feeding to low of a diet in protein, overcrowding, boredom, and not getting out to free range can be common causes of feather picking. they are not eating as much either. Its the most common chicken grooming behavior. This means that they are literally feathering their nest in preparation for sitting on eggs and hatching chicks. Our blogs and articles are updated regularly with many different important topics on care, purchasing tips, fun facts, and more. Many thanks for any advice you can provide!! Hi Brian, You might have hens who are high on the pecking order and feel the need to establish their dominance frequently through pulling the feathers of other chickens. (Figure 1). Still eating laying pellets plus corn and sorghum. You can also soak your hen in a tub of warm water, dish detergent, vinegar, and salt. That being said, its often cheaper and easier to prevent this disease for settling in in the first place. I checked her out and she is missing the plumes of ones in her neck but the quills are still there. She has been super quiet and generally depressed lately, and Im wondering if its because of the lack of a flock? Remove parasites on their feathers. Find full disclosure here. They look soft and fuzzy. While its definitely not healthy for your chickens, its also not healthy for you do you really want that touching your eggs? One of our older chickens is losing her feathers. Really enjoy reading all your helpful tips. I think that I may have a mite problem in my coupe. She has gained weight although the vet wants her to gain one more pound. Provide your chickens with a proper diet, and they will likely grow their feathers back in less than a month no need to worry! thanks, Diana, hello diana i think they do but it never specifys the gender. Could the Americana be looking to set too? Hello, I have 3 hens about 1 year old. My chicken has lost a 3in wide strip of feathers from her breast to her bottom. Has a predator broken into the coop and attacked my chickens? They have lived together for a year now so Im not sure what has changed. There are two types of molting; a soft molt and a hard molt. Is there any way to stop this or is it just due to stress? In addition to their feathers dropping out, you will also notice that their comb will lose some of its colors, and it wont be a vibrant red any longer. And learn how warm the coop gets depending on outside conditions to avoid overheating your birds. This can be very dangerous because chickens are attracted to blood to peck the injured chicken even more. Claire. Unfortunately, theres not a lot that you can do to adjust the amount of time that motling takes, or to mitigate the impact that it has on feather loss. I am guessing the weight loss is a result of her previous situation, but wonder why it just started a few days ago. It's not a molt, as these are less than a year old. Parasites that live on the feathers can reach into the body and bite the chickens. Could the baby rooster be doing this? I am used to my hens having bald backs by the end of summer but the feathers have always grown back by late winter. I know what a healthy feather base looks like and that wasnt it. I have 3 chickens in one coop and only 2 are losing feathers. If the feather loss is around the vent area, you might be dealing with mites or another external parasite. You can also place mint in the coop to deter rodents, as they dislike the smell. Can mice cause so much stress it causes them to lose feathers? You can also put a chicken saddle on your hens, which will cover the bald area and prevent other chickens from pecking at the sore spot. Any suggestions? How do I check for mites? It is most commonly seen in hens. I have ten chickens, one of my youngest, a one year old blue Marans, is the only one with feather loss. Her eggs were also fragile. Claire. If you think your chicken might have vent gleet, it's important to take her to the vet as it can be a serious infection. Hi Claire I have noticed this on one of my birds this morning they are all loosing feathers but one of them as it quails in the back and no feathers in two big patches. Now she is losing feathers. Chicken With Red Bottom And No Feathers? (Explained!) Well, not really. Evening you consistently ensure a healthy, high-protein diet for your chickens, any change can accidentally trigger a molt or loss of feathers. One week later time change happened. Do you think that emotional stress could cause this problem? . Is there any explanation for this? Thanks ahead of time. Marianne. document.write(CurrentYear) You know that your chickens spread the oil from their preen gland (by the base of their tail) and use their beak to spread it over the feathers. If you have a rooster, overzealous breeding behaviors might be to blame for some feather loss. Let us know in the comments below what methods youve used to help your chickens during their molts. I was given an Americana chicken. Why Is My Chicken Losing Feathers? Complete Guide to Feather Loss In Ensure that the door to your coop is securely locked each night. https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/the-pecking-order/ Since they have been moved to their new home, about 1 month now, I do not see any changes no worse and none better. Often, you will need to euthanize her to put her out of her misery. Any suggestion please. it is so close to Fall that I was first thinking that they were just molting but the timing made me wonder if it was stress. Chickens can also lose their feathers when they are being bullied. The other day I went to pick her up and a massive clump of feathers came off of her! Claire. The previous owner said, she thought there was a bully, we never saw signs of this. Chickens will bully each other if they see any weakness in the flock at all. Just when they all seemed to be all feathered up they are molting again. Ive literally just seen this. A chicken's feathers are what protect its skin and helps keep the chicken warm. Allow a hen to sit on her eggs, and know that she wills top picking her feathers once the chicks hatch. Claire. Feeding occasional high-protein treats like mealworms can also help speed up the molting process. The backside of her is missing feathers and the other chickens often peck at her. do you know what is wrong with her? They are as big as a cow salt block. Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Never really fitted in and was bullied at the start. Is it just the one chicken that has lost its feather or all of your flock? just today She has spent almost all day in the brooding box. For many years, industrial farmers often forced their chickens to molt and to improve their egg quality by aggressively changing their diet. She is a prolific layer, pretty much daily. Is she has only recently lost them I would clean the coop out and treat them all with a dusting powder. At Tractor Supply they cost $12.99, but last quite a while. hi hope you can help I have 4 chickens 3 years old the speckled one lost feathers 3 weeks ago I thought it had been attacked, feathers all over the coop now the other 3 have started losing them but in all different places 1 head. I only have two hens no rooster, and the bared rock is dominant, and occasionally pecks at the other hens neck, not her chest. What To Do About Wintertime Feather Loss In Chickens Luckily, most feed manufacturing companies have made it easy to figure out how much protein chickens need. I dont think its anything to be too concerned about- have you noticed any redness or bleeding? Moulting is a natural annual process where your chicken replaces its entire compliment of feathers over a few weeks. In both cases, you can use poultry dust from your local hardware store to remove the parasites. I keep water in several areas throughout the yard as they free range during the day. This is a common cause of small amounts of feather loss. My 10 month old rooster has been losing his feathers. Avoid changing the diet of your birds unless You can try feeding a higher fat and higher protein content feed, but forcing a quick molt is not recommended as you need to allow your girls to recover from a long egg laying season. If they do drop us an email with some photos and we will do our best to help An aerial attack can cause some serious damage Hello! Why Is My Chicken Losing Feathers? (13 Common Reasons & Fixes) Broody hens often get targeted because they have plucked out their own breast feathers, and the other chickens will then peck at the red flesh. They have access to a large dust bath that 7 birds can get in at one time. Many thanks. We bought three more chicks, but cant integrate them until they are a little bigger.
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