Hello everyone molting questions

[roostersandhens]

 

[gander007]

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I second the thought that you have a feather picker. I helped a friend with this problem by putting on little wool (we live in MN--cold) hen aprons cut out of thrift store sweaters felted down in the wash. (no sewing needed) Everytime we saw a new one with feathers missing that one got an apron. So on and so forth. We got the culprit figured out by process of elimination and tried a few things first that may have been causing stress. Put some Merrick's blue ribbon in their water to make sure digestive tract and nutrition was up to snuff. She backed off with removal of some stressors --frozen water, small feeder. But now it seems she's picked up again. We just need spring to arrive and if she keeps it up I've suggested she be removed from the flock. There's been other suggestions for feather pickers in which you associate a loud noise...ie a coin in a can...with the bad behavior. This would take time to train...but I know lots of folks who love sitting with their chickens watching them...and this would be the time to do that!

 

[caroline11]

Hello
Well its been a month and my Lucy still has no back feathers or any sign of them starting. all the others are now molting and seem fine. As stated before her bare skin has always looked good, however now it is getting a little pink and feels warmer in that spot. So I am worried about infection. I was going to get some Blue Kote but the gal at my local farm store said not to use it ??? instead I got Vetericyn gel spray. Has anyone used this product? The active ingredient is hypochlorous acid. It says wound and skin care gel safe on all animals and birds

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Caroline: Unless there is opened or injured skin I would not put bluekote on. The redness and warmth could be the new feathers coming...The blood flow increase in the skin...they become more sensitive... and soon you'll probably have new feathers. Keep the protein up and her immune system up with a good Probiotic, vitamins, minerals in her water...like Merrick's. Feather growing is hard on them.

 

[caroline11]

Ok thank you for your advice I will update when I see feathers