7 Month Chickens - Is this early molting? Do I need to be concerned?

[curlewgirl]

Hey all!

I have a flock of 12. Six are 7 months old, and six are 5 months old. All but one of the 7 months old girls started laying eggs, but have been tapering off with the change in light. Temps have just reached below freezing at night and are about mid-40's during the day. About a week ago we switched from an 18% starter feed (&ptional dish of oyster shells) over to a 16% layer feed with oyster shell.

I have two of the 7 Month olds that I'm a little concerned about, and am not sure if they may be having a weird early molt, or something else:

1- A Wellbar. She is showing this feather loss pattern:

I don't see any signs of mites/lice at the moment. Her vent looks clean, no 'dirty' debris. She is behaving totally fine, eating and drinking.

2- A buff orp who is acting lethargic. This just started today. She is finding quiet spots away from the flock to fluff up and close her eyes. I've checked her vent and feathers, and see no signs of mites that I can tell (looks clean, no debris, not red or irritated), but she does have a LOT of pin feathers and has been losing feathers. Here's some pin feathers a bit above her vent:

She has pin feathers like that over a lot of her body, actually.

Her comb is still pink. I've fed her a cooked egg and some cottage cheese. Her eyes and nares are clear. I haven't seen her poop just yet, so I'm waiting on that. I have just isolated her to keep a better eye on her, and she's laying down fluffed up with her eyes closed. She had a small injury on her foot that I've been spraying 2x a day with vetericyn, but she isn't limping and it doesn't seem to bother her.

My questions: Are early molts a thing? I know they usually don't molt until they're over a year old. Or does this look more like a mite/parasite situation?

For my sick orp, how can I better support her? Does she need higher protein food? Should I give her electrolytes?

I have Elector PSP on the way in case it's an issue with mites. I also have Corid just in case as well. Nutri Drench arrives tomorrow.

Thanks all!

 

[sourland]

Does the Wellbar have pinfeathers along the back of her neck? If so it is a molt. The Orpington is having an 'early' molt.

 

[curlewgirl]

The Wellbar does have pin feathers growing in along the places where she's experiencing feather loss.

Also, if it matters, the orp in question has been really developmentally advanced in comparison to her sisters-- bigger, started laying like 3 weeks before everybody else, etc.

Thank you for your input!

 

[aldarita]

Sometimes when they loose a lot of feathers they don't feel good and isolate themselves from the rest of the flock. You've done a good job with the inspection however you still need to check her crop.
I have a hen that goes thru a very hard molt every year, she kept herself in the coop for a whole day.
Keep an eye on your pullet, hopefully she'll be fine soon.