Chicken losing feathers! Pic included.

[operationindigo]

I posted a little while ago about my hen losing her feathers. She's a little less than a year old. I only have two hens and they have a pretty big range of space and can come and go as they please into the coop/run. She has developed a bald patch on her chest that started about the size of a quarter and has spread to what you will see in the picture. I haven't seen any mites, itching, picking, or plucking from what I can tell. Her skin doesn't seem to be irritated at all. She has been laying daily and eating normally. What do you think I should do? Also, we live in FL and have had temperatures in the mid 90's for about a week now and as you can tell from the wet sandy ground, it has been *extremely* humid. Could this be a factor? (Her breed is Brown Leghorn)

 

[jnewman]

Do you think they may be molting?

 

[operationindigo]

I'm not sure...I've never seen chickens molt before...these are my first two. So I'm not really sure how to tell the difference between molt and something else. The other chicken's feathers are totally fine, thick and gorgeous.

 

[jnewman]

That might just be what it is. If they are healthy and you just see some feathers missing or around the area, they are probably just getting some new lovely feathers in. My geese are molting like crazy right now. I clipped their wings a couple months ago and a whole new set of feathers have replaced the clipped ones.

 

[jnewman]

By the way, your chickens are beautiful. My husband and I have 6 adult barred rocks (plus 2 newly hatched barred chicks) and a couple other mixed welsummer varieties. Is that a brown leghorn you have as well?

 

[operationindigo]

I have two hens right now, one barred rock and a brown leghorn. I love both of them, they have such neat little personalities. The leghorn is much more skittish than the barred rock. I think the BR is the brains of the operation

 

[jnewman]

I used to have a brown leghorn, Butterscotch, who looked very similar to yours. We unfortunately lost her to a dog, but she was great - very skittish, like you said - but great! The barred really are a calmer breed. Best of luck to you and your lovely hens!