Anybody seen this before?

[SanctusPullus]

This is Scrappy, a White Amberlink, supposedly less than 2 years old. For months my wife has been asking me not post any pics of Scrappy looking like this but I really want to know what the heck is wrong with her. She's the best bird we've had - smartest, happiest, best layer, most friendly, etc. and she's always looked generally like this, sometimes better, sometimes worse, although this is definitely her worst. She's never had any health issues (except lice once) until recently and vitamin supplements seem to be helping whatever is affecting her ability to walk straight. She eats well and gets plenty of everything she needs. She can't be molting since May when we got her, can she? We were told the missing feathers were because she was the "rooster's favorite" but I no longer buy that... If you notice, her feathers are ALL shaft in many places, with nothing else. Like a porcupine. Anyone have any idea what's going on with her? Her ugliness doesn't change the fact that she's our favorite bird but it sure would be nice to get her looking "normal."

 

[Featherland26]

I'm not an expert but She looks like she has been molting very slowly, she has pin feathers coming through so she is growing some feathers back, her skin look a little sore or just very pink however I think she is fine, you'll have to wait till she looks beautiful again.

 

[motherhenmindy]

It kind of looks like a molt based on pictures I've seen on here. I wouldn't be surprised if she is about 2 years old. I heard they will molt once a year at least.

 

[SanctusPullus]

For FIVE months non-stop? It always looks like her feathers are coming in, and then she gets a few, and others disappear. It never ends, only gets worse...

 

[satay]

I had a white leg horn that looked like that for quite a few months. She just had a really heavy molt. If you have checked her for lice and mites and it's not that the only other suggestion I have is that a rooster is being to harsh with her. I would think if it was a rooster though you would have seen something. Try adding some cayenne pepper to their feed it can sometimes help with a heavy molt.

 

[SanctusPullus]

Interesting about the Cayenne peppers, I assume as an immune system boost? May try it, thanks.

 

[silkiechicken]

Looks like a roosters favorite. The reason she has not replaced the feathers since may is because the shafts are still there. If you were to pluck out all those shaft feathers, new pinfeathers will come out and she'll be like new! But! I would not pluck out those shafts, ouch, just wait for her natural moult... should happen some time this fall.

As for peppers... not sure what exactly in those that are supposed to make them do anything. A high protein feed once she starts moult though will help as feathers are high in proteins.

 

[satay]

Also check to make sure she is not plucking her own feathers. They can occassionally do that too if they are stressed. If you notice her doing that at all you can get something (blue kote) i think its called from your feed store and put that on her back to stop the plucking.

 

[SanctusPullus]

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The thing is... no roosters here LOl

 

[SanctusPullus]

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We've never seen her "plucking" - just the normally grooming. I don't think she can even pluck out a feather if she wants to, her beak was clipped already when I got her and she has a hard enough time just getting anything in her mouth; it was a very very short clip and it takes her 5 times as long as the others to eat the same amount. It has been slowly growing back though.