2nd summer no feathers

Trlgoebel

In the Brooder
Jul 17, 2022
10
3
24
I have one hen out of 25 hens has not regrown her feathers. This is the second summer and no new feathers have grown.
At first I thought it was from breeding, then I thought lice of mites, diet. I have dewormed dusted and put a mating blanket on her. Nothing has made a difference.
The picture is what she currently looks like. She has not lost or grew any feathers.
 

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Poor little thing. Based on where she's missing feathers I do think it is a breeding problem, possibly combined with diet. If you can/haven't, separate her from the rooster. Obviously you don't want her alone, so separate her from the main flock and give her a buddy or two. Keep them separate until her feathers grow back.

What do you feed them?
 
What is she eating, and have you seen issues with her and your rooster? How about possible feather pecking?
Mary
Corn, wheat, peas, barley, oyster shell mixture and they free range all the bugs they can eat.
There has been no picking and I have one rooster. I have sat and watch numerous weeks to make sure the rooster doesn't favor her. He doesn't. He has 24 other hens that he is busy with. In the winter so she doesn't get frostbite she wears a homemade jacket.
 
Poor little thing. Based on where she's missing feathers I do think it is a breeding problem, possibly combined with diet. If you can/haven't, separate her from the rooster. Obviously you don't want her alone, so separate her from the main flock and give her a buddy or two. Keep them separate until her feathers grow back.

What do you feed them?
I have kept her in what we call the sick bay. It is an area in the coop that is sectioned off inside and outside so a chicken can come and go as she pleases without the risk for other chickens. She spent 3 months in the sick bay and most of the winter. I have recently let her out to be with the rest of the chickens because there was no signs of change.
 
One other thing I forgot to mention is that they are in contact with a lot of other wild bird species. We have pheasant, partridge, ducks, quail and 100's of small birds that visit our yard daily all year round.
 
Diet? Mixed whole grains and oyster shell? Not balanced, inadequate amino acid profile, at least. Is this diet related? Don't know. Does she pick and choose which grains she eats?
Mary
 
Diet? Mixed whole grains and oyster shell? Not balanced, inadequate amino acid profile, at least. Is this diet related? Don't know. Does she pick and choose which grains she eats?
Mary
It's all ground together. She isn't able to pick or chose.
 

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