Feathers everywhere!

[Chunck]

I left my two remaining hens in the coop for a night and a day. Both have been doing well after the round worm incident. One is an Americauna and the other a Red. When I came home there were feathers everywhere in the run, but the Americauna looked OK. It was definitely her feathers. That was a couple days ago. Now I see where she's losing a noticeable amount of feathers that you can see the patches that look like dents in her coat of feathers. You can't really see the skin yet, but I fear it's not far off.

What's the best way to look for an infestation or skin issue? I was thinking of just capturing her and inspecting all the under areas where the skin would be thinnest and blood would be easily accessed, as well as the skin being the softest and more likely to be effected by a rash or other microbial parasite.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

how old is she? she may just be molting

 

[Chunck]

That's a good and valid question. I have no idea. she was given to me by someone who was having an estate sale and said if I caught her I could have her. She was producing 1 to 2 eggs a day and then I got hit with a micro-burst during the monsoon season and it knocked the coop over with her in it. I haven't see an egg from her since.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

That's a good and valid question. I have no idea. she was given to me by someone who was having an estate sale and said if I caught her I could have her. She was producing 1 to 2 eggs a day and then I got hit with a micro-burst during the monsoon season and it knocked the coop over with her in it. I haven't see an egg from her since.

that kind of trauma would stress her out, and keep her from laying
do you have pics? my guess is molt

up her protein intake

check out these molt pics
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-worst-chicken-molt-pictures-fall-winter-2016

 

[Chunck]

Another thing is it's cold at night and I didn't think a chicken would molt during cold weather. It's been in the mid to low 20's here at night and the low 60's during the day.

 

[Chunck]

They eat copious amount of grasshoppers and bugs as well as layer crumble.

 

[Chunck]

WOW! Some of those pix are scary. I'm afraid I'll wake up to a chicken-sicle if she gets that bad.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

WOW! Some of those pix are scary. I'm afraid I'll wake up to a chicken-sicle if she gets that bad.

yep, this is the time of year for molting, dont ask me why

 

[Chunck]

Thanks. I'll have to inspect her anyway just to be sure she's not infested. Although, the Red doesn't have any symptoms of mites, lice or anything like that. Also the Red isn't even old enough to be laying eggs, let alone molt. So that may be my clue.

I'll keep an eye on her. I hope it's just molting. Also I have ceramic eggs to put in the nesting box. Maybe that will help her get back to some sort of more normal and calmer state.

 

[Chunck]

I'll see if I have some pix. Maybe I'll just take some and post them for reference.