Broken shafts/missing feathers

[littlestars17]

I think its molt but Im new to this- First it started with one of my fbcm, now Its the golden comets-They looked like their heads shrunk(not comb actual head) and when I checked them over noticed missing feathers(and alot) around the neck and on the golden comet around the vent area/belly-I still see feather shafts there,but no feather?? No sign of lice or mites/plenty of food ,water all day...They were all born early April...Help??Advice?? It is freezzzzinnngg here now so should I be giving extra supps??

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think these two articles together give great information on molting. Notice it starts at the head.

Mississippi State describes molting
http://msucares.com/poultry/management/poultry_feathers.html

Kansas State feather loss
http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/library/lvstk2/mf2308.pdf

If they are molting, they are not laying. They are using the protein that was going into egg production to grow feathers. Many people on this forum do feed extra protein during molting, but I don't.

 

[waryyear950]

you could put chicken saddles on them might help http://www.louisescountrycloset.com/ This is a new web site i found .I bought there saddles and im really happy with them