Feather Loss

[wingo1992]

I have an Ameraucana chicken who’s about a year and a half old. She has recently been having severe feather loss, especially on her neck and wings. She’s still laying eggs regularly. I haven’t noticed my other girls picking on her, and none of my others have any feather loss. Any ideas as to what this can be and how to treat it?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Awe poor dear is molting pretty hard.
Supportive things like extra protein is what she needs.
During molt I give mine canned mackerel, not to much or the eggs could taste a bit fishy.
I have 31 birds and give normally one can a week year round but during molting I give 2 cans a week. I mix it into wet mash so everyone gets some. Wet mash is just regular feed mixed with water so it is like thick oatmeal.
Boiled and chopped eggs, black oil sunflower seed, and unsalted cooked meat scraps are a few more ways to boost them up.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Have you checked for mites/lice just to be sure it's not? Does look like molt, you can see the pin feathers coming in. Poor thing, agree with 21hens-incharge about the extra protein.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

molting season.. I have 54 birds in my big house.. zero eggs an a thick layer on feathers I now call Florida snow.
Look for parasites/limit rooster numbers/hang out with the molting gang...
November = farmer connie sells less eggs...
Not so cool walking a mile in chicken shoes...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi @wingo1992

Do you have a rooster?

To me, this is not molting. I see broken feathers with shafts still intact in the skin. There may be a few pin feathers, but mainly all the loss is either from breakage or being rubbed off. It looks like feather loss due to mating - note that both wing "shoulders" have loss, this is where a rooster would mount or place his feet, the neck is grabbed so he can hold on, hence the loss there as well.

If you don't have a rooster, watch your flock's interactions - you may have a hen mounting her - mounting is not always about sex, it can be about dominance. You mention the other hens picking on her - if it just one instigator and the others follow suit, then remove the aggressor and see how it goes.

Since the feathers are broken off, they will not be replaced until she goes through her adult molt.

Some reasons for feather picking is illness, not enough space, boredom and not enough protein. See that all are eating/drinking, that they have adequate roosting space (a lot of picking can go on during roosting), add some poultry vitamins and extra protein to their diet a couple of times a week.

Keep us posted.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Wyorp Rock got better eyes than I Now to figure out how you "marked/circled" the pics posted

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Wyorp Rock got better eyes than I Now to figure out how you "marked/circled" the pics posted

LOL Those circles are super secret, but since it's you @ChickNanny13 I'll tell

(Microsoft Paint)

 

[ChickNanny13]

Thank you