Bald chickens

[wighty85]

We have 11 Rhode Island Red hens that are just over a year old. They began loosing their feathers around October. They don't seem to be growing their feathers back and they are all still laying eggs. They are all bald on the butt and the top of their backs. It has been over 6 months that they started loosing their feathers. Does anyone know why they are taking so long to grow their feathers back or what we can do to help them?

 

[WalnutHill]

If they have mites or lice, they may be pulling their own feathers.

If you have a rooster, he may be abrading the feathers off.

Are they still laying? If so, then feather growth will be slow.

 

[wighty85]

We don't have a rooster but yes they are still laying eggs. I thought they were supposed to stop laying eggs when they were growing back feathers. We haven't seen any lice or mites either.

 

[WalnutHill]

If they really are "just over a year old", then they shouldn't have molted in October. They hshould molt their second fall, not the first, if hatched in spring/summer.

We don't force moult, and our red sex links cycle through the moult and do for the most part stop laying during feather regrowth. Fortunately they are all on different internal body clocks even though they are same age, so we don't run out of eggs, just low.

Low dietary protein will delay refeathering and will promote feather cannibalism as well. How is their diet?