Bald Frizzle?? Genetic issue or?

[pdx2phx]

Folks, I would greatly appreciate any insight you may have on my bald frizzle hen......she is about 6 months old and otherwise appears happy & healthy.


Long story short - we were gone for about a month for our wedding and honeymoon, and had an experienced petsitter take care of our 16 (now 15) ladies while we were gone. We had one loss, our SS pullet (from heat I think) a couple of weeks ago while we were gone. Everyone else is fine.

We also came home to this quandry - our white frizzle is BALD. She is is now BEYOND CREEPY.... a walking, clucking plucked hen. She doesn't have any down left, and what feathers she has are just the spines...none of the fan of the feather. Some of the spines have a little curlie-q of feather at the end. She is actually pretty high on the pecking order, so I don't think her feathers are getting pulled out (or that she is doing it herself). Either way I haven't seen pecking/pulling going on. She was light on feathers before we left, but I thought it was just a molt, Now I'm not so sure.

Could this be a genetic problem w/ frizzle chickens? Is this just the worst molt ever?

I don't know what to do.....I don't want her to get more sunburned than she probably already is (we live in Phoenix, AZ), and obviously she won't do well w/o feathers in the winter either. I am a softie so don't want to cull her. She is still laying, eating and pooping all like normal.

We tried making an 'apron' with more coverage, but but my sewing abilities are, um, not good.

I also bought a newborn 'onesie' at goodwill, thinking I might be able to cut a hole in the rear for poopage, but haven't tried yet. Get that on her with maybe a section of sock for her neck for sun protection???

Our Ladies free range in our yard, and there is a lot of shrubbery for some shade coverage. We also put up shade cloth around the coop yesterday to try and give more protection.

Any ideas anyone?? Is there an Ugly Chicken award (poor girl) ?!

Thank you!

 

[aggie9296]

Wow. That is a major near naked chicken. Could be a severe molt, but wrong time of year. Although they can molt after a major stressor. And they usualy stop or decrease laying with a molt. If she were a dog, I'd think mange. So maybe check for mites and watch for worms?

Maybe she's hot and that is her summer 'do? Clothing during the winter might be needed if she is still naked. But maybe only the extra shade for summer. Clothing would probably make her overheat.

If she has pin feathers, she may be regrowing and this was just a molt. Maybe a little extra protein to help wth the feathers. Mine love cotage cheese and yogurt.

 

[stilldeb]

I have a frizzle roo that looks exactly the same and while he is not a frazzle (frizzle to frizzle breeding) I do suspect there is something genetic that makes them more prone to this. He is a total mess. (and he is about a year old)

He is also being picked by some of his hens - I am not sure which happened first but now that he is being picked, his skin is red and they won't leave him alone. I have had to isolate him until he heals up.

I am switching him to game bird/show bird feed, which has more protein in it, and giving him some nutritional supplement as well to kind of boost his 'feather growing'. I'm also bathing him in some soothing shampoo to calm his skin, and some neosporin on the raw spots.

I know your little girl may not have the skin issues that my Freddy has, but the feather thing - maybe upping the nutrition might help? I have seen it suggested before, so thought I would try it, as well as treating his skin.

I have another frizzle - a hen that is a little younger than Freddy, and she is fine, although her feathers are a totally different texture and a lot softer overall (both are Bantam Cochins), although his are so broken right now, he feels like a pincushion.


good luck - update us what works because I'd like to know, too.

deb g
ky