Chicken losing feathers

[Nuggetclove8]

My hen, Willow just stopped brooding and she has been losing feathers. I know that when a hen is brooding they pull out their feathers but she is starting to lose a lot of feathers. I thought she was molting but she has never lost so many feathers. None of the other chickens are bullying her. Please help I don't know what is wrong with her. I I don't think she has any mites because none of the other chickens are losing feathers. Is this normal? Thanks for the help.


these is how much she lost just today

 

[QueenMisha]

Welcome to BYC! It's great to have you.

I'd say she's going into a hard molt. Some chickens are impatient and just drop all their feathers at once instead of doing it slowly over the course of 1-2 months. I expect she'll be quite naked within a week or two. Make sure to up her protein, and as long as temps are still reasonably warm where you live, she should be fine.

 

[Nuggetclove8]

Thank you so much. I have been giving her lots of live meal worms. Do you recommend any other sources of protein I should give her?

 

[QueenMisha]

Thank you so much. I have been giving her lots of live meal worms. Do you recommend any other sources of protein I should give her?

You might consider just switching her to a grower feed for the duration of the molt. This time of year most flocks are molting and as such not laying, so many folks switch them to grower ration for most of the molt. It improves protein quite a bit and lowers calcium (which they don't need during molt anyways).

 

[Mrs. K]

I had a white bird do this kind of molt, and she was nearly naked in days, but the new feathers grew in fast too. Then she was so beautiful!

Mrs K

 

[loswickers]

give it wums and beef.....