Birds may be moulting, I need a little help...

[Nuggetsowner:)]

I have 8 hens. The girls are just a little over 1 year old. I think a couple of them may be starting to moult.
Three of them are losing feathers on the top of their backs near their tail area. My Little Red is quite funny looking right now.
I have held them all and checked for mites or bugs or anything of that sort and found no evidence.
It does not appear that they have begun pecking. That would be odd at this stage of the game wouldn't it?
In the last 2 weeks they are laying about 1/2 what is "normal" for them. I get about 3 eggs a day now.

Anyway I was going to take a pic and ask if anyone could confirm moult for me but my husband took the camera on his business trip this weekend.
Does anyone out there have a pic of your hen during a moult that I could compare to how my girls look?? I would apprecitate it.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Mine are just coming on a year so I have not been through that molt but, from what I understand molts start at the head and work their way to the tail.

Do you have a rooster? It sounds like rooster damage.-overzealous breeding. He may tear their backs up. In which case I would recommend a saddle so they can heal. If they were to be bad you may have to separate them for a while. You can find both sew and no sew patterns if you follow the link in my sig.

 

[wynedot55]

if you dont have a roo with them.im betting that they are going into molting.

 

[Nuggetsowner:)]

Thanks for the great information! I do not have a roo anymore.

So, if this is moult should I be caring for them any different? I read extra protein. I will start that.
I would really like to see a pic of a hen during moult. It would let me know what to expect. Thanks!

 

[mmajw]

If you dont see bugs or blood then it is probably moulting. It will take time to grow back and they may not lay as well during this time either. Just keep an eye because sometimes once one of them spots an open opportunity to start pecking another they will and once they do and there is blood then they wont stop pecking, you will then have to seperate.

 

[thndrdancr]

Ok, well I have a dramatic pics. My Fussy who is very sensitive to whats goin on in our house, stopped laying and started going into a hard molt the day my mom had her stroke, on March 1st.

Hers was NOT gradual, but it was stress induced. She stopped laying altogher, and only started laying sporadically again on April 18th or so, only 2 eggs since then, altho she looks much better now.

What she is supposed to look like:

She looked even more pitiful a week after this, but I didnt have the heart to take more pics.

 

[mmajw]

Looks to me like Moulting

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Nuggetsowner :

Thanks for the great information! I do not have a roo anymore.

So, if this is moult should I be caring for them any different? I read extra protein. I will start that.
I would really like to see a pic of a hen during moult. It would let me know what to expect. Thanks!

Black Oil Sunflower Seeds are an excellent source of protein (30%) and Methione which they need for feather growth.​

 

[Nuggetsowner:)]

thndrdancr- Thanks sooo much for the pics!! That is what my Little Red looks like only MUCH worse! At least now I can stop second guessing and just rest assured that they will come out of it.
I will start giving black oil sunflower seeds and I think I am going to give them some cat food for extra protein as well. It is one of Little Red's favorite treats but I only give it rarely.
Thanks sooo much for everyones help. I hope I can repay the favor someday.