Last week I went outside to check on my hens and caught our rottie/bullmastiff mix with chicken feathers on his mouth - seems two of the hens had gotten out of the pen, my ameracauna and my buff orpington. The ameracauna was out of the fence and we eventually caught her - but I had to scoop up the orp and isolate her. (these girls are of an indeterminate age, hatched "this spring" was what my parents were told when they brought them home to me)
She didn't have any signs of trauma - mostly just in shock - on the advice of a poultry friend I kept her isolated for 24 hours until she was standing up in the kennel and telling me off every time I walked past. Snuck her back in the pen after dark and everything seemed dandy (about four days ago) - she was limping a bit (like a bruise) but noone was picking on her
Fast forward this morning, she has loose feathers and when I checked on her earlier today she was hopping out of the coop and feathers are EVERYWHERE and obviously buff.
Could the shock of last week cause an early molt or should I be concerned?
Nai
She didn't have any signs of trauma - mostly just in shock - on the advice of a poultry friend I kept her isolated for 24 hours until she was standing up in the kennel and telling me off every time I walked past. Snuck her back in the pen after dark and everything seemed dandy (about four days ago) - she was limping a bit (like a bruise) but noone was picking on her
Fast forward this morning, she has loose feathers and when I checked on her earlier today she was hopping out of the coop and feathers are EVERYWHERE and obviously buff.
Could the shock of last week cause an early molt or should I be concerned?
Nai
