Beat up Hen?

AprilS6464

Chirping
Aug 20, 2020
27
45
66
Hi Everyone, It looks like my otherwise big and healthy Black Sex Link had the daylights beat out of her. She’s missing patches of feathers all over. A spot on her back, a spot on her side, her chest, and her backside. Her comb is scabbed up as well. She also seems nervous now. She was number 3 in the pecking order of a 5 hen flock. She’s still part of the flock but stands a little to the side. She looks pretty bad. I haven’t had this sort of thing happen in the flock before in this way. The other hens do not seem to be bothering her as a matter of course. Not sure what to expect. Will she recover? I’m considering about walking out and finding a dead hen.
 

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She is also walking a little sideways. The internet says that happens sometimes during large molts. Do chickens molt during the winter? It’s been below freezing for weeks/months. Thanks for your guidance.
 
Does she have pinfeathers coming in anywhere? That would confirm if it's molt. I "think" I see some on her back, but am not sure. Yes, birds can molt any time of the year. Scabs on the comb is probably from being pecked. I do see a lot of feathers laying around on the ground. I've had birds during molt walk sideways or like they were drunk. Give a B complex vitamin supplement daily and that will probably help with that (human ones are fine and easier to find). You could also use poultry cell, or nutri drench, and see if that helps if you already have one of those on hand. A bird in molt will sometimes not feel great, not eat well, and they can get like that. If she's molting, it's uncomfortable and she will probably not like being handled, so be gentle. If it's not molt, and others are picking on her then she may be sick. In that case I would crate her until you can find out more about what's going on. Check droppings, crop function, monitor eating and drinking, etc for more clues.
Here's some pictures of pinfeathers:
Pin-Feathers-Emerging-on-Chickens-Neck-262x300.jpg

20101116pinfeathers.jpg
 
Does she have pinfeathers coming in anywhere? That would confirm if it's molt. I "think" I see some on her back, but am not sure. Yes, birds can molt any time of the year. Scabs on the comb is probably from being pecked. I do see a lot of feathers laying around on the ground. I've had birds during molt walk sideways or like they were drunk. Give a B complex vitamin supplement daily and that will probably help with that (human ones are fine and easier to find). You could also use poultry cell, or nutri drench, and see if that helps if you already have one of those on hand. A bird in molt will sometimes not feel great, not eat well, and they can get like that. If she's molting, it's uncomfortable and she will probably not like being handled, so be gentle. If it's not molt, and others are picking on her then she may be sick. In that case I would crate her until you can find out more about what's going on. Check droppings, crop function, monitor eating and drinking, etc for more clues.
Here's some pictures of pinfeathers:
View attachment 2540923
View attachment 2540924
 
Thank you so much, coach. She does have pin feathers coming in and must be molting. I gave her some vitamins today as you suggested. Relieved that it’s not something overly concerning. Thank you for taking the time to help. 🐓❤️😁
 

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