I had a little rooster I rescued who looked the same. It’s just because all her feathers have been pulled out. Give them time to grow back and she should be fine, although you may want to separate her while they grow so she doesn’t continually get bullied while she is healing.
Maybe we are talking about different black spots? The only black i see is where new feathers are growing in if that is what you are talking about then no need to worry. And she may have lost weight because she lost feathers, feathers also tend to make chickens look a lot bigger than they actually are.
She appears to be molting.. the black "looks" like the feathers coming in and the white stuff is sheath that should still come off. When I pluck chickens, they do seem to have a black secretion inside the feather follicles.. especially from pin feathers.
Thanks, no roosters, just five hens in a 5x8 coop and a 12x15 run. I've been trying pretty every brand they sell at Tractor Supply just to see if there's a difference, currently Nutrena crumbles. Also now that you've mentioned, she hasn't laid in a week or more. Do all hens molt? She seems happy otherwise, I'll be happy to know she's not being bullied.She appears to be molting.. the black "looks" like the feathers coming in and the white stuff is sheath that should still come off. When I pluck chickens, they do seem to have a black secretion inside the feather follicles.. especially from pin feathers.
The skin doesn't look exactly angry like parasites though the feather that are left behind definitely look like hell leading to some general questions.. I see you are in the US.. how many birds in how much space? You say she's the eldest around a year old and others about 8 months.. so Feb hatched, are they laying? What is fed on a regular basis including treats and supplements? Do you know when was the last time you got an egg from this gal? Any roosters or cockerels in your flock?
Sometimes originally broken or pulled or otherwise damaged feathers may not grow back in until molt.. Regarding the earlier missing ones. She is definitely molting now.. so the new feathers should look much better..
Use a flashlight after dark to look at the belly of the bird and below the vent to get your clearest picture of parasite status.. part feathers down to the skin and look for crawlies running away.. some parasites only come out to feed on the birds but don't live on them.. while others are microscopic and will never be seen only their evidence.. In this case you should be looking for "dirt clumps" dried on close to the shaft near the skin.. on the older feathers not the new ones... or angry red skin.. what I see looks mostly pale and normal light pink.. but my eyes don't see everything well and my screen doesn't often help matters.. so look for the clues and tell us what your eyes are seeing.
Molting is a challenging time for birds! Hope she come out of it quickly!
Yes, all chickens and most avian species I know of all molt. In fact all animals seem to shed. Even my piggies "blow" their fur.
