Feather loss on tail and under wings

[schuurwmn]

I just picked up a new hen, Rhode Island Red and didn't notice her feather loss until I got her home. She is young and they told me she was molting. Looks younger than 13 weeks (my flock is around 12 weeks and looks like spoiled brats compared to this lil thing) I am putting de on her and in the food as well as acv in the water, but does this look like molting, maybe getting picked on, or parasitic issue? Any other things I should do to help get her back to looking pretty like my other 4 girls I raised since chicks?

 

[schuurwmn]

 

[Hishigata]

It could be a molt but she seems young to be molting already. I am not sure what the white stuff was at the base of her tail in the first picture. Could it be a parasite like lice or mites?

 

[schuurwmn]

It could be a molt but she seems young to be molting already. I am not sure what the white stuff was at the base of her tail in the first picture. Could it be a parasite like lice or mites?

Kind of what I was thinking, I didn't see any mites, I thought those looked like black specks, maybe lice? So I treated with diatomaceous earth in that case. do those parasites cause the feathers to fall out? The person I got her from stated she free roams and gets chicken scratch. This young and I thought they should still be on a start and grow crumble so I even wonder if she has been eating her own feathers due to protein deficiency.

 

[junebuggena]

Could be from aggressive pecking due to overcrowding or poor nutrition or could be from mites/lice. Spraying her down with pyrethrin is a good idea, that way you can be sure of killing any nasty bugs. She looks to be about 12 to 14 weeks old. Go slowly with introductions, and make sure she has access to starter at all times. She looks pretty run down, which again, may be nutritional.

 

[junebuggena]

Kind of what I was thinking, I didn't see any mites, I thought those looked like black specks, maybe lice? So I treated with diatomaceous earth in that case. do those parasites cause the feathers to fall out? The person I got her from stated she free roams and gets chicken scratch. This young and I thought they should still be on a start and grow crumble so I even wonder if she has been eating her own feathers due to protein deficiency.

DE does nothing to combat an infestation.

 

[schuurwmn]

DE does nothing to combat an infestation. 

I just picked her up today, so I don't think it's an infestation, at least not in my coop, maybe just on that particular bird. Are you trying to say DE is more of a preventative? I had a flea infestation long time ago in my house and this was the only thing that cleared it out of my carpets/house.

 

[schuurwmn]

Could be from aggressive pecking due to overcrowding or poor nutrition or could be from mites/lice. Spraying her down with pyrethrin is a good idea, that way you can be sure of killing any nasty bugs. She looks to be about 12 to 14 weeks old. Go slowly with introductions, and make sure she has access to starter at all times. She looks pretty run down, which again, may be nutritional.

I will pick some up tomorrow. She is with my 4 other hens, so I assume I should just preventatively spray them all? I was told she was being fed chicken scratch and free roam in their yard so no mention of any grow crumble makes me think malnutrition so maybe she's self mutilating as feathers are protein I read?

 

[junebuggena]

I just picked her up today, so I don't think it's an infestation, at least not in my coop, maybe just on that particular bird. Are you trying to say DE is more of a preventative? I had a flea infestation long time ago in my house and this was the only thing that cleared it out of my carpets/house.

DE is a deterrent only. DE is also terrible for the delicate respiratory systems of chickens. For a bird with mites, you must treat with something that will kill the pest. Pyrethrin is a safe and natural treatment.

I will pick some up tomorrow. She is with my 4 other hens, so I assume I should just preventatively spray them all? I was told she was being fed chicken scratch and free roam in their yard so no mention of any grow crumble makes me think malnutrition so maybe she's self mutilating as feathers are protein I read?

Definitely spray the other birds, too. And definitely could be nutritional. Best to cover all your bases just in case. Get her on starter ASAP. She's going to need the higher protein to grow back those feathers.

 

[Hishigata]

Yes, only scratch at that age does seem like it could lead to a less than optimal condition. She could have been eating her own feathers or other similarly protein hungry chickens could have plucked them off of her. I think giving her better quality food will make a huge difference.

As to mite/lice treatment. DE is a slow method with contentious efficacy. I think it is more successful as a preventative but there are many threads here with recommendation for either natural remedies or more conventional treatments. I used sevins dust on my hen to treat mites and it worked quickly but it can be hard on you and the bird.