Barred Rock hen

[cooperleon]

We had 10 hens and a rooster. Several months ago we dealt with raccoons and possums which attached or hens. We lost 6 hens at that time. During the last two weeks we lost our rooster and a hen on different days during the daylight. They are closed up in the coop and pen at night. Now we have been keeping them locked up during the day and only letting them out for a few hours in the evening while we are outside.

We haven't had any eggs in over a week. We thought it was because of stress from the predator attack plus the heat.

Now we have one hen that has lost/molted feathers on her back and some on her neck. She doesn't want to get out of the nest. We have forced her out and she will walk around like normal and peck and scratch but after a few minutes she is back in the nest. Also, she and two other hens legs have turn white, not the golden yellow like they were before. The other hens are active and not loosing their feathers.

Any suggestions?

 

[The Yakima Kid]

We had 10 hens and a rooster. Several months ago we dealt with raccoons and possums which attached or hens. We lost 6 hens at that time. During the last two weeks we lost our rooster and a hen on different days during the daylight. They are closed up in the coop and pen at night. Now we have been keeping them locked up during the day and only letting them out for a few hours in the evening while we are outside.

We haven't had any eggs in over a week. We thought it was because of stress from the predator attack plus the heat.

Now we have one hen that has lost/molted feathers on her back and some on her neck. She doesn't want to get out of the nest. We have forced her out and she will walk around like normal and peck and scratch but after a few minutes she is back in the nest. Also, she and two other hens legs have turn white, not the golden yellow like they were before. The other hens are active and not loosing their feathers.

Any suggestions?

The hen who sits in the nest all day sounds broody.

If they have been in lay for quite a while, then there legs tend to fade. You might consider a feed with a higher carotene content, of give them the occasional bit of carrot for a treat. Molting may be starting, and during the molt many hens can't stand to be touched because the new feathers are apparently very sensitive.