Hello,
I have 2 hens around 2 years old. They were laying really steady up until 2 weeks ago (the weather got cold/rainy in Seattle). In addition to that my barred rock started dropping feather like crazy & has large "bald" spots...only one tail feather left! There are new ones slowly emerging & I noticed a dandruff problem as well. My second bird is just starting to show signs of molting, but not as severe. I understand while molting they may not lay, but the rate her feathers are dropping out is alarming! Is this normal or could there be health issues?
We just got a new coop last month that is 100% better than the rabbit hutch they had before. It's a lot bigger, dryer & fairly draft-free. Could a new environment be the problem?
Thank you for any advice!
Also a special thanks to all who helped me before with the pro-lapse treatment this spring...it worked like a charm!
(cross-posted on chicken behaivior page)
-Pamela
*mother of a barred rock, gold-laced wyandotte, basic black house cat & a water dragon.
I have 2 hens around 2 years old. They were laying really steady up until 2 weeks ago (the weather got cold/rainy in Seattle). In addition to that my barred rock started dropping feather like crazy & has large "bald" spots...only one tail feather left! There are new ones slowly emerging & I noticed a dandruff problem as well. My second bird is just starting to show signs of molting, but not as severe. I understand while molting they may not lay, but the rate her feathers are dropping out is alarming! Is this normal or could there be health issues?
We just got a new coop last month that is 100% better than the rabbit hutch they had before. It's a lot bigger, dryer & fairly draft-free. Could a new environment be the problem?
Thank you for any advice!
Also a special thanks to all who helped me before with the pro-lapse treatment this spring...it worked like a charm!
(cross-posted on chicken behaivior page)
-Pamela
*mother of a barred rock, gold-laced wyandotte, basic black house cat & a water dragon.
