Chicken Molting or Being Pecked

[ChickenGirl22]

I have five chickens who currently reside in a heated, lit henhouse (they're really spoiled!) and one of them is losing a lot of feathers for apparently no reason. She's a Buff Orpington and my other who is the exact same age isn't going through the same molting cycle. My rooster although generally good natured gets a little aggressive when he's stressed and she has a bare patch on her wing where feathers have been pulled out (our hen protector is still on order) but her back and tail feathers are falling out as well. I have a feeling that she may be stressed by the pecking, but is there a way to tell if the feather loss is natural or caused by the pecking order? Please help!

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Could you post some pics? My BO always looks beat up for no reason, but she is a very good layer, which changes their priorities and their feathers don't look or feel as nice.

 

[ChickenGirl22]

Here she is

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Huh, that is pretty much what my BO looks like all the time. I don't think mine is being pecked though. Is she a pretty good layer of big eggs, and how old is she?

 

[ChickenGirl22]

She's a great layer. We got her last year in March and she's a pretty sweet and friendly girl. We named her daisy but since we have another BO with a white spot o her tail we call her little black tail. She's turning into a loner though and not wanting to stay with the other chickens when we free range them. I'm not sure what's up with her.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Like I said, being a good layer takes a lot out of a hen. She might just not be getting all the nutrients to keep her feathers healthy. Maybe if you fed her some Show Conditioner? I use Manna Pro's. It comes in little pellets and you put a Tbls or so in their feed and it gives them a little boost. Then again, she might just be molting. Here's my hen that is currently having some issues, if that helps: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/692113/rir-with-no-back-feathers

 

[ChickenGirl22]

Thanks for your help! I'll see if I gan get ahold of some Show Conditioner. Meaty foods like that thread suggested are out of the question as my family are all vegetarians, but oily seeds sound pretty good.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

The Conditioner is good for your other birds too. If you want you can put it in everybody's feed. It will just soften their feathers and help them grow back faster and improve their overall aesthetic appeal.

 

[ChickenGirl22]

I'm proud to say she's grown in some more pretty shiny feathers. You were right about most of her energy going toward eggs. She stopped laying for a week or so and now she's back to being stunning. Thank you so much for the advice, my chickens are pretty much like my babies. I'd hate it if one of them was being picked on. I hope that your chicken is doing much better now that the ducks have stopped chasing her.