⠀ Feathers and Food

[kat100]

Two Buff Orphingtons are doing well. Two Black Sex Links are having feather issues. One has a bare bum and the other is missing wing feathers. (I've used powder on them) They all decided they don't want pellets, they want very wet (water) crumbles . All seem to be laying an egg a day. Any suggestions for the feathers and is there any problem with wet crumbles?

 

[chicklover 1998]

Are they going through a molt?

 

[kat100]

Slightly. I don't find many feathers in their area and the ones that are missing looked like they were plucked.

 

[chicklover 1998]

could it be the buff plucking the sexlinks, or are the sexlinks plucking each other trying to get protein back from the missing feathers.

 

[kat100]

I don't think it's the Buffs. They are such good souls. The Sexlilnks, on the other hand, are sassy girls and that could be it. If that's the problem, tho I haven't witnessed it, do you have any suggestions?

 

[chicklover 1998]

if the blood feathers are very bright red then add some blu-kote on the shaft, put pick no more where the feathers are growing in, if there is any problem with their back use a chicken saddle, and add feather fixer or meat bird starter grower or game bird feed, they will boost the protein to get the feathers growing back quicker and as an added bonus you could get more eggs.

 

[kat100]

Ok. Thank you very much for the suggestion. I will definitely give one of those foods a try. I'll keep my fingers crossed that they won't go on strike against that food. They are fussy girls when it comes to food. And, BTW, more eggs are always good.

 

[chicklover 1998]

Of course extra eggs are always a good thing and if they don't like the feed try fermenting it they may like it that way.

 

[kat100]

How in the world do you ferment crumbles???? (sorry if that's a dumb question, but I really have no idea)

 

[chicklover 1998]

water and crumbles, you can either let it sit open to gather it's own starter from the air, this isn't alway a good option because it can mold but some people can keep it from molding, the other is to add apple cider vinegar with the "mother" or use sugar, the mother is the good bacteria that helps to kickstart the fermentation process, here is a good website to give you some more information. http://www.communitychickens.com/why-and-how-to-ferment-your-feed/