Could it be molting? pics

[motorboy]

This is my first year of chickening so I don’t know what molting looks like. In addition, she is only 7 months old. She preens herself and pulls out a lot of feathers. At first I thought it was mites even though I didn’t find any so I treated her with 2 powders and a flea bath. After all this she pulled out 30 feathers in 8 hours. So then I thought she pulled them out from stress because her gal pal was taken away by a fox. I tried to apply a mix of Vaseline and red pepper to stop her picking and a lot of feathers were pulling out just by them sticking to my fingers. In addition she has a respiratory and eye infection I am treating with great success with Terramycin soluble powder at 1 Tsp per quart. and topical antibacterial gel around her eyes.

So, do you think it is molting?

 

[cheeptrick]

They can go into hard molt and drop all their feathers very quickly...but if you say she did this to herself in 8 hours....I'd suggest you up her protein (cat food, black oil sunflower seeds, cottage cheese).

I know when they are sick they can drop/molt their feathers prematurely....so I'd keep up the terramycin as prescribed.

BLUEKOTE/REDKOTE can be applied to the bare patch to prevent others from pecking her....keep her quarantined/separated.

Good Luck...hope she feels better soon.

 

[TaLani]

Not that I have any experience w/ molting yet, but given the fact that she's only 7 mos old, can she really be old enough to molt?? I thought they had to be over 12 mos old before they'd go thru a molt...am I wrong?

Maybe she's just losing her feathers rapidly because she's really sick. I'd definitely do what cheeptrick recommended though!

 

[cheeptrick]

Quote:
Did not notice the age...TaLani....you are right....too young for a full fledged molt.

Poor girl...hope you get her better motorboy....sounds like you are doing all you can right now. Maybe a moderator will post soon...they are very knowledgable.

 

[motorboy]

Well she has done all this over 3 weeks. In 8 hours she pulled 30. I only have one other chicken (Light Brahmas) now and she would never pick on anyone else But I still have them separated because of the meds and this one is in the house to keep extra warm. Can you use BLUEKOTE/ REDKOTE on animals you eat and egg eat? I just started giving her some extra scrambled eggs, cat food, and vitamins.

 

[cheeptrick]

You have her on terramyacin and you have to throw away any eggs for the next 2 weeks...that is a hard thing to do. It does pass threw into their eggs....

I have eaten eggs from chickens that I have blukoted...but others may not agree. Here is their website...you can email them and ask them.

http://www.drnaylor.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

 

[cheeptrick]

Ok....you got me interested...I just emailed them.

 

[TaLani]

Not sure whether or not you could still eat her eggs if you treat her w/ the Blu-Kote. Try calling the ladies at Cutler Supply & see if they know. Here's the link: http://www.cutlersupply.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_79&products_id=446

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
I was told by many in this forum , YOU WILL KNOW FOR SURE when they are moulting when you walk into the coop and ALL YOU SEE IS FEATHERS EVERYWHERE .

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
Blu-kote will NOT affect the eggs , basically bu-kote is like an antiseptic and ALSO a COLORED distractor . EXAMPLE ... others will peck and continue pecking if they see bloody area , BLU-KOTE is kinda PURPLE COLOR ..... Spray on effected area