Feathers pulled out or falling out...what to do?

[Wendyann78]

I have seven one year old australorps in a 20x20 enclosed run with a coop that has roosting bars and nesting boxes. Recently all but 1 have feathers either pulled out or fallen out from their butts.

They have normal poops, are normally pretty skittish (no change), and none appear ill.

They get purina layer feed and a couple handfuls of scratch every day and fresh water every day.

No mites that I can tell. I did use diatomaceous earth dust last year preventatively.

Normal laying pattern.

Some feathers seemed to be growing back in for a week, but now they're all gone again! Skin appears healthy.

What could be causing this, and what can I do to help?

 

[LikeTurkeys]

Molting maybe? Do you have a rooster?

 

[Wendyann78]

I have a cochin rooster in the next run, not the same one (2 separate runs and coops because I have 2 cochin hens that the australorps were attacking). Is that what they look like when they molt? This is new to me. Thanks!

 

[LikeTurkeys]

I have a cochin rooster in the next run, not the same one (2 separate runs and coops because I have 2 cochin hens that the australorps were attacking). Is that what they look like when they molt? This is new to me. Thanks!

Different hens have different degrees of molt (sometimes hardly noticeable), but yes it looks like that's what's going on. It's rather late, normally they molt in the fall and generally not their first year. But there could be other factors including stress causing them to lose feathers. You should start seeing pin feathers coming in if it is a molt; these will replace your hen's old ones and she will look as good as new. (Your hens are starting from the bottom it looks like and working their way up, if this is a full molt she will progressively lose all her old feathers).

I asked if you had a rooster because it could be damage from over mating, but since you don't it's probably just a molt. It also looks as if they lost their feathers cleanly, not ripped out or broken.

 

[Wendyann78]

Different hens have different degrees of molt (sometimes hardly noticeable), but yes it looks like that's what's going on. It's rather late, normally they molt in the fall and generally not their first year. But there could be other factors including stress causing them to lose feathers. You should start seeing pin feathers coming in if it is a molt; these will replace your hen's old ones and she will look as good as new. (Your hens are starting from the bottom it looks like and working their way up, if this is a full molt she will progressively lose all her old feathers).

I asked if you had a rooster because it could be damage from over mating, but since you don't it's probably just a molt. It also looks as if they lost their feathers cleanly, not ripped out or broken.

Thank you!