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!
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!

