Both Roosters and Hens wont grow their feathers back.

[GoldenFowl]

Alright my issue here is that my chickens seem to have lost their feathers during the molt season. Which is natural, but it's getting hot where I am at and I worry. They lost their feathers going into fall and they don't seem to be able to recover. The rooster are fatherless on their backs, necks and their wings are messed up. While the hens are completely bald on their backs and some on their butts. I have been feeding them higher protein feed and given them oyster shells. I am worried it may be a parasite or disease.

 

[4 ever Orpington]

Alright my issue here is that my chickens seem to have lost their feathers during the molt season. Which is natural, but it's getting hot where I am at and I worry. They lost their feathers going into fall and they don't seem to be able to recover. The rooster are fatherless on their backs, necks and their wings are messed up. While the hens are completely bald on their backs and some on their butts. I have been feeding them higher protein feed and given them oyster shells. I am worried it may be a parasite or disease.

Pictures would help. Also welcome to BYC

 

[GoldenFowl]

Pictures would help. Also welcome to BYC

Alright I got the pictures. They are 12 chickens. I know that there are to many rooster for the amount of hens, but the rooster should have feathers. There are 9 hens and 3 roosters. 4 are female Plymouth Rocks and 2 male Plymouth Rocks. And 1 male golden Wyandotte and 5 female Wyandotte. Only one is growing her feathers back but, she's been like that for ages she kinda grows it out then it stops then repeat.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What do you normally feed them?
Do they seem to be excessively preening?

That is a lot of mating damage and feather picking. I see a lot of broken feathers, those won't grow back until they molt in the fall.

With the roosters having so much loss, broken feathers and they also look stripped, I would be inclined to think they my have Feather Mites (depluming mites) in addition to the other feather damage. You will want to get confirmation from your vet if possible since usually the treatment is with Ivermectin. It's a good product, but there is no concrete information on egg withdrawal period and technically it's not approved for use in laying hens.

 

[4 ever Orpington]

Alright I got the pictures. They are 12 chickens. I know that there are to many rooster for the amount of hens, but the rooster should have feathers. There are 9 hens and 3 roosters. 4 are female Plymouth Rocks and 2 male Plymouth Rocks. And 1 male golden Wyandotte and 5 female Wyandotte. Only one is growing her feathers back but, she's been like that for ages she kinda grows it out then it stops then repeat.

I concur with Wyorp Rock.

 

[moniquem]

That does not look like a normal molt.....IMO

 

[GoldenFowl]

What do you normally feed them?
Do they seem to be excessively preening?

That is a lot of mating damage and feather picking. I see a lot of broken feathers, those won't grow back until they molt in the fall.

With the roosters having so much loss, broken feathers and they also look stripped, I would be inclined to think they my have Feather Mites (depluming mites) in addition to the other feather damage. You will want to get confirmation from your vet if possible since usually the treatment is with Ivermectin. It's a good product, but there is no concrete information on egg withdrawal period and technically it's not approved for use in laying hens.

Alright so the feed I am feeding them right now is a Turkey/Game bird crumble. So it has lots of protien, I thought that would help them grow their feathers back. I mix that with some cracked corn or scratch. Well for the most part no they don't excessively preen. About the feather mites, I would have to check with a vet, but it would be strange as we live in the Mojave desert area and contracting it would be more difficult. At least I think that's the case.

 

[GoldenFowl]

That does not look like a normal molt.....IMO

I was referring to that molting is normal. In this case yes, it obviously not normal and I'm worried.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

12 chickens.

there are to many rooster for the amount of hens, but the rooster should have feathers. There are 9 hens and 3 roosters

I thought that would help them grow their feathers back. I mix that with some cracked corn or scratch.

About the feather mites, I would have to check with a vet

Look at the nutritional analysis of the feed to make sure the vitamins/minerals are comparative to chicken feed, likely it is, but you never know. There are so many formulas out there. Most game bird/turkey feeds are really high in protein, so you may want to use it a supplemental protein to your normal feed. Corn and scratch make fine treats, but personally I would not mix those with the feed since your chickens are probably picking out the "goodies" and leaving the rest.

Is there a way to reduce the number of roosters in your flock or at least house them separately? It is very unusual to have all the roosters with feather loss like that unless there is something else going on. They all look like they are plucking each other's feathers out, but mostly I see are broken and worn off feathers with shafts intact. Are the roosters mounting each other too?

 

[GoldenFowl]

Look at the nutritional analysis of the feed to make sure the vitamins/minerals are comparative to chicken feed, likely it is, but you never know. There are so many formulas out there. Most game bird/turkey feeds are really high in protein, so you may want to use it a supplemental protein to your normal feed. Corn and scratch make fine treats, but personally I would not mix those with the feed since your chickens are probably picking out the "goodies" and leaving the rest.

Is there a way to reduce the number of roosters in your flock or at least house them separately? It is very unusual to have all the roosters with feather loss like that unless there is something else going on. They all look like they are plucking each other's feathers out, but mostly I see are broken and worn off feathers with shafts intact. Are the roosters mounting each other too?

Alright on the label it says.
Crude Protein 21.50%
Crude fat 4.00%
Crude fiber 4.00%
Ash 8.50%
Then it has all the ingrediants. I didnt state all the vitamins and nutrients, so maybe the feed might be the problem?
Generally they are outside, but there isn't much outside except dry dirt, so maybe it could be stress issue? I'll stop mixing the feed, but what feed should I change to if that is the case. I will seperate the roosters. As far as the roosters mounting each other I have not seen them do it, but one family member has joked and commented that the roosters have mounted each other. I will stay vigilant on that.