Feather Not Coming Back After Winter Molt

[New Flockman]

In early 2014, we got six Golden Comets. As most of you know, they are hybrids bred for lots of egg production. They have turned out to be some of the best chickens we've ever had and not only from the egg production standpoint. They are good natured, with us and each other. We wondered about hybrids being on the dense side but they are "chicken" in every respect, smart, personable, curious and as much fun as any other's we've had. Max, our Black Australorpe Roo simply loves them! He had a lot of trouble with the last flock but this group really listens to him. It was fun watching hem take them around and show them "the ropes."

This winter, they had their first molt. All pretty much together. Thing is... the feathers aren't coming back. They are getting a really good non-gmo layer feed with supplemented calcium in their feed (which they consume regularly). Can't see any signs of mites and such. No pecking or plucking going on.

I wonder if it has to do with their very prolific egg-laying. It's rare that we don't get one egg per chicken per day. The only time they slowed down this winter was when it was really nasty and cooled and they were not able to go out. They are free-range within a large, grassy, fenced yard ( about 1600 square feet being a movable fence- they are in a tractor, though the ground is still to wet to move them yet).

Any ideas?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

In early 2014, we got six Golden Comets. As most of you know, they are hybrids bred for lots of egg production. They have turned out to be some of the best chickens we've ever had and not only from the egg production standpoint. They are good natured, with us and each other. We wondered about hybrids being on the dense side but they are "chicken" in every respect, smart, personable, curious and as much fun as any other's we've had. Max, our Black Australorpe Roo simply loves them! He had a lot of trouble with the last flock but this group really listens to him. It was fun watching hem take them around and show them "the ropes."

This winter, they had their first molt. All pretty much together. Thing is... the feathers aren't coming back. They are getting a really good non-gmo layer feed with supplemented calcium in their feed (which they consume regularly). Can't see any signs of mites and such. No pecking or plucking going on.

I wonder if it has to do with their very prolific egg-laying. It's rare that we don't get one egg per chicken per day. The only time they slowed down this winter was when it was really nasty and cooled and they were not able to go out. They are free-range within a large, grassy, fenced yard ( about 1600 square feet being a movable fence- they are in a tractor, though the ground is still to wet to move them yet).

Any ideas?

If they were chicks in early 2014 when you got them, they wouldn't be expected to have that first heavy molt until this fall at about the 18 month mark - first year pullets don't have that big molt. I know you don't see pecking or plucking or mites, but I would be giving those some further thought. Is the feather loss all over or focused on certain areas of the body (and, if focused, is it the same area on all the birds)? Are these six the only hens in the flock - so you have them and Max - or are there other birds as well? What is the protein content of your feed? Does your feed contain any animal protein?

 

[New Flockman]

Sorry, typo.. it was 2013.

We are serious chicken watchers and we can see them out out main picture windows of the house... no plucking. Take it to the bank!

It's all six hens and they are our only ones. They are missing feathers randomly in all body locations. Really just looks like a molt that never ends.

The feed is 17% protein.

We supplement with raw sunflower seeds, which have 29 g of protein per cup. They also get raw fruit and veggie leftover from out table and occasionally some meat (not chicken ( : < ). The bugs have not arrived mud yet, but last year they were serious bug eaters and we fed them lots of grasshoppers.