Just make sure your chickens are well taken just today She has spent almost all day in the brooding box. Finally, around a year old, chickens start to moult, and this includes chickens losing vent feathers. Poultry Lice and Mites Identification and Treatment - The Chicken Chick jploria116; Mar 26, 2023; Emergencies . I have been letting them have the occasional egg and given them mealworms as well as layers pellets and corn I feed flock raiser w/oyster shell. As the name implies, these chickens have no feathers on their neck, and you'll see no signs of the feather follicle from which the pin feathers emerge. Hi Halina, Never really fitted in and was bullied at the start. If your chicken is infested with mites it is common for them to lose their feathers but usually only around the vent area. Its the most common chicken grooming behavior. Today there were a lot if them. Hi ?, whether its for behavioral or egg production reasons you can break her So, I purchased 2 Barred Plymouth Rocks, 2 Buff Orpingtons, and 1 Welsummer. Most hawk My flock of eight hens seems to be molting, but they are only 10 months old. Hi Anastasia, We mentioned above that when chickens molt, they require much protein to make their new feathers. However, Im aware that others have successfully used DE for this coop, on the run, on the lawn. When we moved in, we were getting five eggs a day. Hi Bob, If you want her to stop being broody get her some fertilized eggs to hatch or get the eggs away from her, and make sure she doesnt lay on any eggs. Im perplexed. Dont be nervous if you see feathers on the ground as long as your chickens seem healthy otherwise and arent missing large clumps of feathers. We separated the smaller hens with missing feathers and let them recover. When Chickens are Missing Feathers | Southern States Co-op I am a bit concerned because its starting to get pretty cold and she would need those feathers to help keep warm. Found your site and am so enjoying all the informative information, Thank You. Confirm your chicken is getting the proper diet. Occasionally, they will pick their own feathers to build a nest, which helps to prepare for the hatching chicks and also helps keep the hen and eggs warm. Hi, I have a flock of 30 birds of mixed ages, the oldest established flock is nearly 12 months old. In addition to molting, the only other occasion when feather loss can be flock-wide is when your chickens have a disease or are infected with parasites. Well, she is now going through a hard molt the feathers on the other side of her neck fell out and are regrowing like normal, but that bare patch on the back of her neck is still there. As these birds are still losing feathers I contacted my vet and they suggested possible deplumbing mite so I have treated with ivermectin. Yes it definitely sounds too early for them to have their first molt- this normally occurs when they around 18 months old. Sometimes they will even pull the feathers to be used in building their nests! Allow a hen to sit on her eggs, and know that she wills top picking her feathers once the chicks hatch. Ideas? If you see dried blood on the skin or if your chicken is exhibiting behavioral changes, like withdrawn or anxious behavior theres a strong likelihood that bullying behavior was to blame. You can buy red mite dust from your local farm store Her feather loss is all over her body. attacks will be fatal. Take her out and pat the wet area dry with a clean old towel. One week later time change happened. Hi Alma, Hi Christina, Help! You might have some chickens that are just downright mean. They are all around 5-6 months old. Help! I have a black Australorp hen that is almost 3 years old, every summer she has molted to the point of becoming absolutely naked, then she takes several months to regrow her feathers. Does the entire flock bully her or just one or two hens? This will make sure that no one hen is getting too much attention, and ti will also limit fighting between aggressive roosters. It could likely be delayed stressed from all the moving. Five of these have developed bald spots. Can you email us a photo and we will see how we can help! Vent Gleet in Chickens - Causes and Treatments Options A chicken's feathers are what protect its skin and helps keep the chicken warm. Bright red, the same color as her comb. Molting is when chickens lose old feathers and then will grow new feathers to replace the old ones. You will need to medicate your chickens for this disease, and it can be spread among the flock. Claire, Hi Lisa, If you have a rooster, overzealous breeding behaviors might be to blame for some feather loss. Also, our rooster, Randy, is looking quite dishevelled. She used to perch with the other two but now she perches by herself. When it comes to the red mite dust is there any particular brand I should use or a brand I should stay away from? Hi I have 2 chicken about 15 and 18 months and one as one is missing feathers on the bottom of her and she not laying as much may 4 time a week if that what could be the problem. If you have any idea please tell me, and we dont have a rooster. Hi Karen, Lice and chicken mites are common causes of Sometimes, that boredom can lead to them picking out their feathers, whether from frustration or to give them something to do. I would not treat for lice or mites unless you actually see them. Not sure what is going on, Hi Lori, You may need to do this several times. I would not treat for lice or mites unless you actually see them. 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. If you notice your chickens over-preening, pecking, or losing feathers outside of their regular molting season, you may have some external parasites on your hands. Chickens molt feathers yearly. I have 4 hens I raised from chicks. This should settle down in a few days if you introduce the chickens to each other properly. She has not laid for the last 2 days but seems happy enough. My chicken was attacked an her feathers never came back on her neck. It can rapidly lead to cannibalism. Ive done everything possible killed every bug that could possibly be in there tried everything and Im down to Ive got some horrible bullies. I might get some poultry powder just in case something is going on. Why Is My Chicken Losing Feathers? (13 Common Reasons & Fixes) All the other chickens seem fine. Chickens molt during the end of the egg-laying season, in the fall. Mine too. Backyard Chickens Vent Gleet: Prevention and Treatment One of my Rhode Island red hens is losing feathers. When you say to dust the chickens what kind of dust? They are most active at night so if you believe your chickens have been infested check your chickens during nighttime on the areas that have soft feathers such as around . It can get stuck in the skin, making the chickens body think that there is a feather there. Does anyone know what could be happening? These include: The key thing to remember is that normally when chickens lose their feathers, its completely harmless. All six of our hens are losing feathers, but it is the spring. I dont know what is happening to her she is very weak and doesnt come out of her coop, She is losing her feathers on her wing, her neck, under her neck, her legs and under her tail it is windy outside so she doesnt come out because even though the wind is not strong at all.Some how the wind makes her feet go up almost like she is lighter than a feather and she cant go outside because the wind makes her feathers fly away. If that happens, you will have to wait until the chicken molts again and sheds the feather. Ive literally just seen this. reason. Good luck . Can 1 out of 5 hens molt? thank you so much. They are loaded with seeds and full of protein. A healthy vent will be pink and moist. we use this special dust that is suppose to kill mites and lice. Its still in the 30s here so I know they have to be pretty cold. Thoughts? We had a large bush blown over in their run two weeks ago but no one seemed particularly perturbed. This does sound very strange and again sounds like one of the flock members might be bullying her! Parasites. Preening is a natural process that birds use to move oils from the glands at the bottom of their tails to their feathers. I had put them on pellets where before they were on a mesh at the other farm. They are unaware of the chicks (raising them in the garage until 6 weeks). Have you seen any pecking or redness on her? Hi Vicki, More space is better, and allowing your birds to free range is always best. Have you noticed this at all? Any ideas on how th o protect her skin from the sun? Claire. Happy Chicken Coop, DDW, I know my questions have been published, but no one has replied. She could also have parasites like lice and mites. Lets take a look at the most common reasons why chickens lose their feathers and our two favorite cures: The first and most common reason why chickens lose their feathers is the annual molt.. We just had a flood hurricane ( Imelda) and my chickens are loosing feathers all the way to the skin. If you are certain is isnt a molt, I would check them for mites! Any suggestions, Hi Ryan, Let us know in the comments below what methods youve used to help your chickens during their molts. I know all about chickens molting (usually in the fall), but nothing about roosters. Prevent it by keeping the coop clean and giving your birds proper food and water. I hope she is fine, shes my fav. One of my chickens died recently. Pecking feathers out by other chickens around the vent or on the back is usually . in this random rambling thread we post random pictures. Step 3. In both cases, you can use poultry dust from your local hardware store to remove the parasites. I have 1 hen this year that is still bald on her back. I add a solution to their water once a week to prevent this and it has always been successful. One is very friendly (seems to be the dominant one) and the other has always been frightened. Hi Denise, feather loss, and while you may not be concerned about the fact that your Claire. They are around 16 months old. Therefore, you need to take action immediately to both prevent and eliminate it. New Member - Jamestown NY / Warren PA area - Help identifying Golden Comet Roos. Kristi Cook. Molting is a process that is highly variable depending on the individual chicken, so while some birds will go through it quickly, losing feathers for only a couple of weeks, others may molt for months. Claire. She wasnt growing feathers for several months and nothing I did worked so I started feeding her feather fixer and that is helping a lot. I have chickens that I believe or picking each other raw. If you find they are still pecking out each others feathers, you will need to separate the new and old chickens for a few days and then attempt to reintroduce them to each other. These remedies can make your coop smell better too. She keeps losing a ton of feathers, including a few wing feathers. Hey, I have a fluffy cheeked Black Austrolorp (I believe thats most of her breed) named Courtney. A good ratio to follow is ten to twelve hens per rooster. Paying attention to where feathers are missing can sometimes indicate what is wrong. Sounds to me like they are beginning to molt! The Complete Guide To Chicken Parasites I like to feed my chickens game bird feed during their molt because it is 20% protein- this is double the amount of protein in layers pellets. Avoid changing the diet of your birds unless This disease can cause a disgusting whitish yellow discharge to ooze from the vent, along with serious loss of feathers. Overcrowding ..heatboredom ..confinement may lead to feather picking..some breeds don't bear confinement as well as others. Do you know what kind of parasites? Feather pecking can result from poor 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. I didnt notice this until we got them home. After the fact, theres not much you can do but you can prevent a hawk (or other raptor) attack in the first place by keeping our birds inside a covered run. I skip the coop out every day, do a full clean once a week & dust for mites regularly. If sohow many chickens per square foot? Some feather pecking is due to aggression. shock. Broodiness is not dangerous, and is actually quite a miracle to witness if it happens in your chicken coop. Removing the chickens missing feathers from the flock temporarily. help! Claire. Molting is more likely if its fall and the days are getting shorter. 4. Check your chickens for any other damaged or bleeding spots to ensure that the bird is actually molting, and that another factor is not to blame. - The Happy Chicken Coop - All Rights Reserved. They are beige or straw colored and are typically found at the base of feather shafts near the vent.