Feathers missing on throat

[TheFrenchGirl]

Hello,

It’s my first post on the forum so I hope i am at the right place. My hen, Buff (original name for a Buff Orpington, I know) worries me. She has a kind of hole in the feathers of her throat. She is healthy otherwise. I only have 3 chickens and she shares her room with a little Isa Brown.
Buff is at the bottom of the pecking order. The hole is getting bigger.

We treated the coop with Diatomaceous Earth.

Any idea of what could cause this?
Thank you so much for your help!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Looks like new feathers coming in. How old? She may be molting.

 

[TheFrenchGirl]

Thank you for answering!

She is just over a year.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thank you for answering!

She is just over a year.

Than she's probably molting, or at least growing in where feathers are missing.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Molting.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

That’s what they told me too, my rooster is practically bald on his neck and behind!

 

[Skippersnh]

Eggs

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

Eggs

Could you expand on that?

 

[TheFrenchGirl]

Thanks all! I really appreciate your opinions and help.

I do hope it’s molting because i treated her and the coop with Diatomaceous Earth already. She is free ranging in the yard and has access to many dust bath spots (she even took over our garden...).
I just read that i need to repeat the process weekly, for 7 weeks, which i didn’t do. That may be the problem.

For the message saying “eggs”, maybe it’s a question about her laying. She lays well, two eggs every three days.

Thanks!!!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

DE doesn't really work as a treatment for external parasites. For that it's best to use a good poultry dust or spray. DE is also a respiratory irritant to both humans and chickens so you should be careful using it.