Chickens not going back in coop to eat all day???

[Scifisarah]

I know why she's losing feathers. She is, I think, growing in her adult feathers. Maybe she's eating stuff on the ground, and is less interested in the food now.

But bantams are small and delicate, so I would keep a close eye on your flock. The hen could have eaten a poison plant, or been been bitten by a snake. Watch your birds and take care of them. If things get worse, you might as well give up on the flock. Sometimes, you just need to start over.

You could maybe post a pic of your hen, so ppl could look at her. It might be helpful.

Couldn't have been a plant or snake with her in the run, and with michigan's snakes. Here they are about 10 days ago. Honestly the blue mottled I am worried about looks almost as fluffy now, except her cushion is not quite as full - it is when you pick her up and feel her keel bone that she feels different. But maybe it is as you said - she was just overweight when I got her.

 

[Chloe77]

I don't think she's sick. They all look healthy to me. I would have to hold and feel the bird to make sure, but from the photos, they all look ok. And the hen in question is just of smaller stature. She's of a different breed then the pure black bantams. She's gray. I don't think you need to worry yet.

 

[Scifisarah]

I don't think she's sick. They all look healthy to me. I would have to hold and feel the bird to make sure, but from the photos, they all look ok. And the hen in question is just of smaller stature. She's of a different breed then the pure black bantams. She's gray. I don't think you need to worry yet.

All of the cochins are mottled, she is just a blue mottled instead of the regular black mottled. The black mottled are younger so they don't have mottling on their bums yet. When I first got them, they all got baths and they are all pretty small under that fluff!

 

[Chloe77]

Yeah, don't you love giving them baths, and then they run around looking like little dumplings? LOVE IT!!!

 

[Scifisarah]

Yeah, don't you love giving them baths, and then they run around looking like little dumplings? LOVE IT!!!

Blow dryer feels sooooo gooood....

Well I got their old food dumped out, am giving them new bedding tonight, a flock block tomorrow and switching to the Blue Seal Finish for the winter. Hopefully they'll bulk up a little and get those feathers grown in.

 

[Chloe77]

I bet they will. Your flock looks healthy to me.