feather plucking, balding bird?

[silkymom]

one of my red sexlink hens is really balding, these birds were given to me in the fall, they had been with a roo so i thought he was the problem, but when they molted, she must have picked out and chewed off feathers as they came in, she looks terrible. the other hens have some missing on the back from the roo, (im raising 16 more for him) i know 6 hens with this big roo isnt enough, anything i can do? no mitres on them?

 

[aart]

I have a white hen with red comb and waddle. No rooster, although on hen thinks she is a roo. Bald spots sane round are on back. I see dark pink bare skin with quills, but no feather. About the size of a quarter. No mites or critters. Good layer feed with some cat food during molt for extra protein. Any clues??

'Quills' are pins feathers?
They'll grow out and sheath will be preen off to release feather you recognize.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm going to add that many of my chickens will just die one day, seemingly fine the day before, and I have found that about half will pass by age 4, and half will live up to 10, the couple of sex link birds I had both died younger, I think high production hens have a shortened life.

 

[GitaBooks]

Those are the exact same signs I see in my chickens when they are a roosters favorite. Getting more hens should help. You could also try buying or making saddles to put on them to allow them to grow back in their feathers.

The swollen, red areas on the beck and wings get caused by the rooster trying to keep his balance during breeding.

Hope she gets better!

 

[aart]

That looks like more than just rooster wear.
Could be feather mites.....unless you're seeing the birds picking.
Feather eating can often be a sign of low protein.

What all are you feeding?

 

[GitaBooks]

My chickens get layer food, along with treats of cat food, bread, watermelon, and they have free range to forage for plants and bugs all day. I just have too many roosters right now (I'm planning on getting rid of the one causing all the problems. He's younger, and younger roosters tend to breed with the hens more than older ones).

 

[aart]

My chickens get layer food, along with treats of cat food, bread, watermelon, and they have free range to forage for plants and bugs all day. I just have too many roosters right now (I'm planning on getting rid of the one causing all the problems. He's younger, and younger roosters tend to breed with the hens more than older ones).

I guess I should have made it clear that I was asking the OP.

 

[GitaBooks]

Oops.

 

[silkymom]

im feeding layer crumble, oystershell,some veggie trimmings, these birds free range the yard and woods all day. i checked for mites and have not seen them picking?ill check the protien on the bag, thanks.

 

[silkymom]

the protien is 17% min, hubbard feed, thanks