Constant moult

[chicknmania]

We have a Golden Comet hen, about three years old, who is in a constant moult. She has been that way all summer. I also noticed her clucking a couple of weeks ago, the way a hen does when she is going broody. She did not go broody, (and never has) and I haven't noticed the clucking lately. She otherwise seems healthy. Is there a cure for this? I've noticed this before in Golden Comet hens, although not for this long...

 

[Whittni]

Maybe she needs more protein, try giving her good snacks for a few weeks. She could also have mites, so just check.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Could be mites/lice.

I agree with whittni- up the protein.

 

[BantamLover21]

I would increase her protein--try giving high-protein treats like mealworms, wet cat food, scrambled eggs, etc. You could also switch to a higher protien feed, like game bird grower, and see if that makes a difference. I would definitely check for mites/lice, too.

To check for parasites, look under the hackle feathers and wings, near the oil gland, and near the vent. Mites will appear as small black moving specks, and lice will appear as moving yellow blobs. If one bird has mites/lice, chances are all of your birds have them.To treat mites/lice, dust with poultry dust or 5% SEvin dust, or spray the bird with another mite/lice spray. Clean the bedding out of the coop, spray the walls and floor with vinegar or Sevin liquid, and put in fresh bedding.

It could be that she is just getting old. I've heard that production hens (Golden Comets, Red Stars, etc.) tend to have difficult, sometimes incomplete molts, especially as they get older.

 

[chicknmania]

OK, I will do that, although the flock free ranges, so they get plenty of protein this time of year, and I'm sure they have SOME lice/ mites...but they do dust, they have dusting holes and use them.
I can add some DE to the holes, or Sevin dust, although a lot of times they won't use them if we do that. Also she is the only one who seems to have a problem.

I think that's a good guess about the production reds and moulting, since I've seen them look pretty raggedy a lot f times, not only ours but other people's too.