feather plucking, balding bird?

[Free Feather]

Feed a 20 percent protein feed and give them treats like eggs.

 

[aart]

You could either get a different feed or stop with the veggies and give animal protein scraps instead.


I like to feed a 'flock raiser' 20% protein crumble to all ages and genders, as non-layers(chicks, males and all molting birds) do not need the extra calcium that is in layer feed and chicks and molters can use the extra protein. Makes life much simpler to store and distribute one type of chow that everyone can eat.

Calcium should be available at all times for the layers, I use oyster shell mixed with rinsed, dried, crushed chicken egg shells in a separate container.

Animal protein (mealworms, a little cheese - beware the salt content, meat scraps) is provided during molting and if I see any feather eating.

The higher protein crumble also offsets the 8% protein scratch grains and other kitchen/garden scraps I like to offer.

 

[silkymom]

thanks all, i have been reading on feeding of roosters and young, i planned to go to a flock raiser with the free feed oystershell, never fed like that before, they get very little veggies , only to get them in when i want them, i will add egg , they get lots of bugging during they day, thanks so much i hope it works

 

[silkymom]

found bald bird dead on nest today, R.I.P 2 feathers, yesterday thought she was broody, i moved her to get eggs, was gonna get her some golf balls, but then waited till today, she did come out for treats and i saw that her comb was droopy? today i got home, . hubby let them out and i saw she wasnt in the group i grabbed some golf balls thinking she would hatch , and found her dead in the nest, i had one extra egg that was really thick on big end and long and pointy???? she was fat and healthy exept for fethers?? any idea, all others look great?????

 

[Free Feather]

Has she been laying?

 

[silkymom]

far as i know, i have 6 hens, get 4 eggs a day right now, in the fall all were laying, today i had 5, ? it was a wierd egg, dang, she was acting strange yesterday but came out for treats, and now dead, i did feel for probs in her, but she was pretty stiff. i dont have a clue she was the lead hen, any ideas?

 

[GitaBooks]

When a hen dies on a nest it is usually because of egg binding. She may have internally injured herself trying to lay that egg.

I'm really sorry about your hen passing.

 

[aart]

You could do a necrospy...if you've butchered hens before might be obvious what was wrong.
Only way to really know.

 

[silkymom]

i was a vet teck 30 yrs ago, and have raised many exotic birds, i did put on a glove and reach in, i didnt feel anything but she was stiff, i wasnt to far behind her, dandg, i dont know how old she was but i think at least 2, this sucks, im glad i have some of her babys, she was a freindly hen, when her comb bent yesterday i wondered but she seemed fine, this stinks, i hope i dont get bird flue or something, i love my birds

 

[aart]

i was a vet teck 30 yrs ago, and have raised many exotic birds, i did put on a glove and reach in, i didnt feel anything but she was stiff, i wasnt to far behind her, dandg, i dont know how old she was but i think at least 2, this sucks, im glad i have some of her babys, she was a freindly hen, when her comb bent yesterday i wondered but she seemed fine, this stinks, i hope i dont get bird flue or something, i love my birds

If you open her up and find it was an obvious reproductive issue, would rule out other diseases.
Comb bent could reflect a circulatory issue, which might also be obvious anatomically.

Hard to do dispassionately when it's a beloved pet tho, even if you do have the technical knowledge.