Missing Feathers Mystery

[592667]

Hello!

So, November 2020 through January 2021, my chickens were molting.
Only one of my hens had a hard molt, another lost feathers around her neck, while the others barely molted.

The hen who had a hard molt grew her feathers back 2-3 months ago, while my featherless necked hen didn't. I waited and waited, and discovered that another one of my hens lost feathers around her neck too. This was followed by my original featherless-necked hen losing feathers underneath her body, near the base of her tail, and other areas around her neck.

This hen would have a new feather growing in her neck, but then it would disappear after a few days.....I assumed she was pecking it out?

I thought it might be lice, so I got the Manna Pro Poultry Protector, which I have used before successfully, and sprayed these afflicted hens a minimum of 3-6 times a week, when it is hot. When it was much colder out, I didn't spray them, so that they would not be chilled, and get sick, so I used DE on them infrequently.

Since it has been warmer, I have been spraying them 5 times a week.

I have seen no improvement, and one of my pullets, is starting to lose few feathers on her neck!

I have 10 chickens, 2 of them are pullets, and I have no rooster. My flock free ranges all day, except for around dusk when it is bedtime. They have access to grit, oyster shell, and a well balanced feed.

I have looked a few times for lice, and couldn't find any..... My hens' featherless-areas have only their shafts of their feathers left, in some areas......Otehr areas there are no feathers whatsoever!

Any advice would be extremely appreciated!!

 

[sourland]

It sounds if one of the flock members is feather pecking/plucking.

 

[592667]

I thought of that…but I haven’t seen anyone get bullied/pecked terribly. Two of my hens will peck the pullets once or twice, to keep them from taking their food…but that’s all.

 

[592667]

Also, all of my hens lay everyday…so I know that my featherless hens are not sick. If they were terribly sick, they’d stop laying regularly

 

[Toryhillc]

We had this in our flock and I found a link on byc about giving salt water to chickens. We started putting an extra water jug in the coop with salt water so they could choose and it seemed to help. Salt is suppose to stop cannibalism and feather pulling in chickens. After 6 months of frustration the girls all have their feathers back. You can also try black oil sunflowers for extra protein.