Bald chicken- Winter Molt? Stress? Help ?!

[paulpig]

Help please----
Neighbor's chicken has lost Most of her feathers........The only change in her life is the obvious FOX running the farm......The chickens free range and roost very high up in barn.............Will a worried chicken loose feathers from stress????? Anyone have clues???? Her diet and worming are great--no problems--- she is a big ole chicken...........

 

[paulpig]

come on everyone..........give me a clue as to why this bird is going completely bald..........

 

[dlhunicorn]

sounds like a molt. Give a supplement in her feed and if it is cold think about an apron for her

 

[Oopoo]

in the balding areas do you see anything trying to grow? I've only had one chicken molt so far and you can see the new feathers starting. They don't lay when they molt-do you know if she's laying?

 

[paulpig]

She is definately not laying........I just thought it was too cold for molting..........but she is healthy otherwise............Maybe this means spring is near.............LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL Thank you for responses

 

[purpletree23]

Do you see new feather shafts starting to grow? If not it's not a molt. She might have lice or mites or she is being picked on. Give her extra protein and greens.

 

[paulpig]

Thank You ----!!! but I don't see mites or lice on her...............or would they be IN her????

 

[4mainechicks]

One of my chickens just finished her molt and it's January in New England. She was almost bald with lots of exposed skin. Because our temps were dipping below freezing for the last month, I had to keep her in if the temps were going below 32 and under a heat lamp. I'm happy to say she's now back in the coop and doesn't need the extra TLC anymore. Good luck. Those winter molts are a pain!