Feather loss

[Cquigley]

I have a 1 year old Buff Orpington that started losing her fluffy butt feathers a couple of months ago. I live in Arizona and in the summer had a pan of water with bricks and pavers in it for them to cool their body. The orpington would lay on the pavers quite often, I'm thinking this could be the cause. I have checked the chickens for parasites and don't see any. I have one other chicken who recently started losing her neck feathers (possible moult) Everything I have read states that moult happens from the neck down. Should I treat for mites anyway? What else could be causing her to lose her butt feathers? I should add that her egg production has dropped.

 

[Poultrybreeder]

Nothing to worry about, they are just molting. That is where they lose there feathers every year to grow in new ones. Egg production loss is a given during this period as they are putting all of their energy into growing new feathers. Their feathers will be swollen and full of blood around December, and return to normal around February-March. That is probably what is happening to the Buff Orpington.