Feather problems, disintegration and no molt

[Exning]

Please see attached album

http://i.imgur.com/GpuPZZu.jpg


This bird has free access to oyster shell. She gets garden delight snack mix, and ava charge off and on in her water.


She has tested negative for worms and mycoplasma. She has always had some breathing problems, they worsen when its hot or she is stressed and her eyes water when its windy. It may be fungal or the vet said it may be reproductive issues. She is otherwise healthy and happy. We have tried oxine mists and they didnt seem to do anything.


Her feathers are disintegrating and Im am not sure why. She is almost 2 years old and has never full molted, she may have partially molted, I am unsure. I checked for lice and mites, I dont see much near the skin or feather base. Just what looks like dandruff and some sand.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

What is your climate? What state are you in?
Besides the snack mix, what kind of feed? Protein and calcium%.
Describe the ventilation and bedding in the house.
Is she laying eggs?
Does she have outdoor access or forage access or is she housed?

 

[Exning]

What is your climate? What state are you in?
Besides the snack mix, what kind of feed? Protein and calcium%.
Describe the ventilation and bedding in the house.
Is she laying eggs?
Does she have outdoor access or forage access or is she housed?

What is your climate? What state are you in?

Southern California, 110F outside right now

Besides the snack mix, what kind of feed? Protein and calcium%.

Layena from Tractor Supply, the only other available locally is always moldy.

Describe the ventilation and bedding in the house.

New coop, 4' x 8', 4' high, divide in half by wire mesh, houses two hens. Framed and insulated like a house. Two 4"x16" vents on opposite side of each other, at top of enclosure. a 14" x 28" open entry near ground level. Play sand bedding cleaned daily about 5 inches deep. An air conditioner pumps cool air into a duct from the top that maintains a 75-80f temp throughthe the day in the summer. No off smells or what would otherwise indicate ventilation problems. The run is attached and 8' x 8' lined with 5 inch deep play sand. They spend 1/4 the day outdoors in a bermuda lawn. The rest in their run, back and forth into the air conditioned coop.



Is she laying eggs?

Regularly, 1 a day or every other day, no problems with eggs.

Does she have outdoor access or forage access or is she housed?

She gets to come out a few times a day for an hour or so at a time with her other buddy. They roam around eating bugs and grass and homemade yogurt. Sometimes frozen corn or watermelon but not much of that. She has free choice grit and oyster shell inside the run and outside.

Our other hen that is kept in the other half of the enclosure is perfectly fine.

 

[Exning]

Anyone have any ideas? Closest bird vet is 2 hours away.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Sounds like very good conditions.
Her feathers look pretty bad. Maybe she's finally molting but it's unusual for a molting bird to lay eggs daily.
Feathers are 92% protein and chickens have more amino acids that are essential in their diet than humans so animal protein which usually contains a complete complement of amino acids. Vegetative sources don't. In vegetarian chicken feeds (layena) they add synthetic lysine and methionine to supplement what is missing in the main ingredients (grains/legumes).
Without other information, I would try giving her some high quality animal protein every couple days. The cheapest way I have found to do so is to feed a little fish or beef kidney. A can of mackerel is much cheaper than tuna or sardines. I use mackerel for a protein boost and to bait predator traps.

 

[azygous]

I have a six-year old SLW Alice. When she was just a couple years old, she was stuck in molt, going almost an entire year without feathers on her entire back and shoulders. The following August, she molted fully and acquired a new set of feathers.

Last fall, she began molt, got about halfway and stalled. You can see what she looks like on the thread on this forum called, "Alice has lost her toe." She just began molt again, and is now losing her ragged, half formed feathers. New pin feathers are emerging promisingly.

I'm guessing your hen has such a problem as this. For whatever reason, molt is incomplete, and the chicken has no alternative but to wait until next molting season to try again, hoping for a molt that will get it right this time.