Easter Egger stopped laying

[justinetaza]

Hey guys!

I have a small flock of 5 hens but my two Easter Eggers are losing their feathers right above the tail. Like completely missing.. bald spot...One worse than the other. The worse one has stopped laying from what I can tell.. what’s up with that?

This is their first year laying, they will be a year old in may. Is it a molt? They don’t seem to be at the bottom of the pecking order. They aren’t in any discomfort..
Could that halt egg production? Any suggestions on what to do?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If you don't have a rooster than it's from others picking feathers. Feather picking is generally from crowding, boredom, or not enough protein.

 

[Peppercorngal]

If they are a year old (or close to it) and you don't see the others pecking on them it's molt time! They will loose most feathers and look absolutely horrible for a while, but new ones grow back and after they look more beautiful than before! They do not lay during molt time. A little close observation will tell you for sure! Good luck with your girls.

 

[Spartan22]

It’s too early for a molt at that age but not uncommon, usually it’s 18 to 24 months. Are they getting enough balance diet and have clean water available all the time? Possible pecking from others, EEs are normally too nice and on bottom of pecking order my 6 EEs are. Check also for lice or mites.

 

[camochick96]

My EE who is about a year old now went through a soft molt where she lost feathers on her back and neck 2 months ago. She stopped laying for about a week and a half, and slowly over the next week she picked back up on egg production and her feathers grew back.

 

[RWise]

I have had one molt early, right after the dog next door was in my yard chasing her (problem has been solved). I hate it when they look like exploded dust mops!

 

[AlleysChicks]

All of my April chicks from last year molted in the fall. Some only laid eggs for 2 months before it hit.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It isn't the correct season for a full body molt. Sometimes bird will experience a neck molt in spring, but it would be highly unusual for a year old hen to go through a complete molt right now unless you were running lights all winter which can cause out of season molts.

When a chicken goes through a full body molt it begins at the head and works it's way back. Feathers missing from in front of the tail and under the tail are common feather picking sites because another bird can sneak up behind them or can grab them quickly as the bird is passing by.

Photos of the feather loss would help identify what's going on, as well as pictures or information about your set up, size particularly, as well as what you are feeding.

 

[Spartan22]

All of my April chicks from last year molted in the fall. Some only laid eggs for 2 months before it hit.

Wow that’s amazing! My first batch of 10 chickens (April 3, 2014 hatched) some have only molted in Oct 2016-January 2017;

My March 6, 2015 chicks, some had molted in Sept 2017, some just started December, got over the molt couple months ago(February 2018);

My February 16, 2016 hatched chicks are not molting yet except the one went broody, so neither my April 2017 personal hatched.

I guess we learn something everyday, great thing about networking with many chicken keepers.