Can you help feathers grow back?

[rheo]

I have a few hens which had all their back feathers ripped out by an extra ornery rooster.

I got rid of the rooster in the spring but it's been months now and the feathers don't seems to be growing back yet.

Is there some way to speed things along?

Will they have new growth before the winter?

 

[Firekin1]

Extra protein in their diets help with feather growth.

 

[rheo]

so steak and eggs for breakfast?

 

[Firekin1]

I suppose if they like steak and eggs why not...lol

I usually go with scrambled eggs and the occasional meal worm treat myself...lol

 

[rheo]

seriously though.. how do you provide extra protein? i feel kind of strange feeding eggs to chickens. were you serious?

would it help to try to pluck the broken tips of feathers out to make way for new ones?
i wouldn't look forward to that job but i think it would be a good idea to do whatever i can to help them get their feathers back by winter.

this is the condition of 3 of the hens backs..

 

[Ridgerunner]

When the feathers are broken off and part of the shaft stays behind the feathers will not grow back until they molt. Once they molt, the feathers will grow back. If you want,. you can try plucking the old shaft out to get the feathers started now, but they may still go through a molt this fall anyway. The main purpose of a molt is to replace damaged feathers.

Feeding extra protein will not cause the feathers to grow back until that piece of shaft is out of there. Feeding extra protein will help the feathers grow back once the shaft is out of there, but not until.

 

[Firekin1]

Oh my that poor half naked hen...Ridgerunner is right about the broken shafts, and I was also serious about the scrambled eggs, meal worms work as well and I've heard of people using cat food but I prefer to not feed my chickens canned food. Chickens will and can eat almost anything, but scrambled eggs for protein is a very easy and cheap solution especially if you have layers.

 

[rheo]

unfortunately i can't stand the sight or smell of cooking eggs.
kind of funny i know being very into raising chickens.
i would have little problem eating one of the birds.
I sell my eggs to friends.
i think i'd prefer to give them meal worms unless i could get someone else to do the egg scrambling.

is there a preferred method to pluck feather shafts our of live birds?

 

[SouthPoleLu]

hi there Just Hatched ...I have just read through your posts from last year, re your hen who was featherless on her back...I have the same problem right now, and was wondering if and how you resolved your problem? Your advice would be appreciated!
regards
SouthPoleLu

 

[Firekin1]

hi there Just Hatched ...I have just read through your posts from last year, re your hen who was featherless on her back...I have the same problem right now, and was wondering if and how you resolved your problem? Your advice would be appreciated!
regards
SouthPoleLu

If your hens have bare backs from the roosters, you can make them something called a chicken saddle to protect them. You can get patterns online, or you can buy them already made as well online.The only other way to prevent it is remove the roosters. You can feed higher protein to help promote new feather growth but it won't help if the roosters are still mating.