2nd summer no feathers

[Trlgoebel]

It's all ground together. She isn't able to pick or chose.

I didnt have my list in front of me when I replied. The mix is peas, mixed grain, corn, oyster shell, black sunflower seeds. It ground up and moistened and dried. We bring the ingredients and my neighbor does the rest. They free range and also get Dumor layer crumble. We feed them all the cuttings or peeling from our garden vegetables. Carrots, potatoes, radishes, green beans, cucumbers, watermelon...ect.
Non of my other chickens have this issue.
I did forget to say that after she molted they never grew back and lost a few more from breeding, winter came she was separated in the sick bay all winter. In the fall I turned her out with her apron on and with it off. Watched the rooster, she was eating both the homemade crumble and the store bought crumble. Not as may grasshopper and cricket as the other chickens due to being put back in the sick bay with a fenced outside run. I have been putting her apron on and have been letting her out with the rest of the chickens during the day and back to sick bay in the evening with apron off starting this July.
In the winter I give a mixture of wood ashes and dirt so they can dust them selfs. I hang cabbage and broccoli and cauliflower in the winter. I add applecyder vinegar to their water once a week.
This spring I did have a 6 chickens with bumble foot. I did take care of it and everybody is well.
I am at a loss of what to do. I have tried everything I can think of to no prevail. I have been raising chickens for 20 some odd years. We usually have around 100 chickens. This is the smallest flock I have had but with age I am just not able to physically keep a large flock anymore.

 

[ThePhoebeFive]

Not sure if this is helpful, but maybe she needs more protein. Is she still laying?

 

[Trlgoebel]

I didnt have my list in front of me when I replied. The mix is peas, mixed grain, corn, oyster shell, black sunflower seeds. It ground up and moistened and dried. We bring the ingredients and my neighbor does the rest. They free range and also get Dumor layer crumble. We feed them all the cuttings or peeling from our garden vegetables. Carrots, potatoes, radishes, green beans, cucumbers, watermelon...ect.
Non of my other chickens have this issue.
I did forget to say that after she molted they never grew back and lost a few more from breeding, winter came she was separated in the sick bay all winter. In the fall I turned her out with her apron on and with it off. Watched the rooster, she was eating both the homemade crumble and the store bought crumble. Not as may grasshopper and cricket as the other chickens due to being put back in the sick bay with a fenced outside run. I have been putting her apron on and have been letting her out with the rest of the chickens during the day and back to sick bay in the evening with apron off starting this July.
In the winter I give a mixture of wood ashes and dirt so they can dust them selfs. I hang cabbage and broccoli and cauliflower in the winter. I add applecyder vinegar to their water once a week.
This spring I did have a 6 chickens with bumble foot. I did take care of it and everybody is well.
I am at a loss of what to do. I have tried everything I can think of to no prevail. I have been raising chickens for 20 some odd years. We usually have around 100 chickens. This is the smallest flock I have had but with age I am just not able to physically keep a large flock anymore.

She was 1 of 12 chick's hatched from one of my own hens. Could it be a

Not sure if this is helpful, but maybe she needs more protein. Is she still laying?

Yes she is still laying

 

[ThePhoebeFive]

I don't know then. I'm sorry!

 

[Trlgoebel]

Good, but where's the vintamin/ mineral mix, and still not balanced amino acid profile.
Mary

The Dunmore feed has all the vitamin/minerals that are needed.

 

[Trlgoebel]

The Dunmore feed has all the vitamin/minerals that are needed.

I'm not saying it isnt a feed issue but I feel that if it was feed, then why is this the only one.
If it is a feed issue could it be that she isn't processing the food for proper absorption like she used to. She is almost 4 yrs old. Could there be an underlying issue that affect absorption of her feed?

 

[Folly's place]

Dumor layer feed, as most layer feeds, is meant to be fed to actively laying hens as their sole diet. it's got 'just enough' of each essential nutrient to be a complete diet when fed that way. All the grains and veggies that you are adding changes that balance, and she's not even getting the additional bugs and stuff her free ranging flockmates are getting. maybe she likes your grain mix and eats more of that too.
Whatever's wrong here, diet is not making things better.
Mary