Pale comb, losing neck feathers

[noodles17]

One of my 3 hens is quite pale and losing neck feathers. With winter approaching I have my 3 hens and rooster with my 3 guineas. I've had a pretty bad mite problem but everyone seems to be getting better with that problem.

This is buttercup.

and its more like her feathers are thinning out. Maybe molt? They are all on a higher protine feed cuz the mite problem made them a bit skinny for my liking. I give them eggs and live meal worms.
They free range for maybe 3hr on week days and most of the day on weekends.

 

[rebrascora]

If she is over a year old then you are seeing classic signs of moulting and it is the right time of year for it. Combs go pale and dry looking and feathers are shed....sometimes creating bald patches in specific areas like the neck or chest or vent area but other times it's just a few feathers here and there making them look thin and shabby. Often they will feel sorry for themselves and stand puffed up, but some hens are very stoic about it and hardly seem to notice.
Hopefully she will be sprouting new feathers soon and be back to her radiant self in a month or so.

Best wishes

Barbara

 

[noodles17]

If she is over a year old then you are seeing classic signs of moulting and it is the right time of year for it. Combs go pale and dry looking and feathers are shed....sometimes creating bald patches in specific areas like the neck or chest or vent area but other times it's just a few feathers here and there making them look thin and shabby. Often they will feel sorry for themselves and stand puffed up, but some hens are very stoic about it and hardly seem to notice.
Hopefully she will be sprouting new feathers soon and be back to her radiant self in a month or so.

Best wishes

Barbara    

Thank you so much for replying! They all hatched in April of this year. That's why I was concerned. Might she molt this young? And should I get something in her diet to help?

 

[rebrascora]

It isn't unheard of for younger chickens to moult but not the norm.
Has she started laying?
The other possibility is that it is cockerel damage. Neck feathers and shoulder feathers take the brunt of their amorous advances. Young, unwilling pullets and unbalanced, rapacious cockerels are a recipe for feather loss. How many hens do you have? Have you seen him mating her? Does she scream and try to run away?

 

[noodles17]

It isn't unheard of for younger chickens to moult but not the norm.
Has she started laying?
The other possibility is that it is cockerel damage. Neck feathers and shoulder feathers take the brunt of their amorous advances. Young, unwilling pullets and unbalanced, rapacious cockerels are a recipe for feather loss. How many hens do you have? Have you seen him mating her? Does she scream and try to run away? 

3 hens lay and my roo mates them all. No one cries about it haha my roo does have a funny foot. Attacked by a fisher cat and I think he has nerve damage. So I know he has messed up some wing feathers during his mount.

 

[Weehopper]

Re-check for mites

 

[ladiesandgent]

I have this same thing going on. It started with our older rooster, but now it's happening to one of our young hens (hatched March-April). I'm seeing a decline in the rooster, so I am alarmed for the health of the hen (she's a favorite; gives my children hugs). I'm going to treat for lice/mites (even though I haven't seen any). I'm desperate for the best method to do so and if there are any other suggestions for this. It really doesn't seem like a molt; all other hens have done so and grown fresh feathers already- just not this young gal and old rooster. They are both uncomfortable.