Help Me! My Chickens Are Loosing There Feathers!?

[skayrutledge]

I have 6 Bobwhite Quail, and the feathers on their head are falling off! they are loosing their mohawks. i am realy worried. most of them are just loosing the ones on their heads but 1 has some missing on its body, they were hached in april so they are still prity young... i don'n think it is molting because they are just becoming balled. please if you have any advice it would be gladly taken.
oh and if this helps i have been feeding them starter and bread.

 

[Stellar]

It looks like they are picking each other? Do you know the male/female ratio? It could be ammonia build up causing feather loss but if it's just their head, that shouldn't be the issue. I am thinking it's a pecking problem. Bobwhites are notorious for that.

 

[JJMR794]

Welcome To Bob White Quail... Its Called Pecking. They're Mean Lil Snots... And It Just Gets Worse From Here.

 

[thekid]

There actually quail... sorry your "chickens" arent chickens anymore

 

[skayrutledge]

lol i know they arent chickens that is so strange i didnt even notice that i said that till i went back to check it.
and idk the female/male ratio. from what it looks like i have maybe one boy out of 6... but 2 of them look like boy girl mix's haha.

 

[thekid]

male to female ratio 1 male : 4-5 females there is a sticky at the top that could help a lot

 

[thekid]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=102281

 

[_Randall_]

Quote:
Ditto x 1000

 

[_Randall_]

Quote:
Personally, I'd refrain from feeding bread. The little boogers need all the protein they can get when they're adolescents. Give them no other options than the highest protein feed you can lay out for them. Will this solve the violence problem? Not totally, but you can say you've eleminated an ingredient that could deprive them from what it takes to satisfy the intended growth rate. Bobs are mean, period. It's their nature to be that way when in captivity. You can help reduce the violence to a certain degree, then you've go to accept the fact they will not be loving little birds that won't bicker. Like JJMR said, Welcome to Bobs!

And by the way, I'm currently running a 1:1 male/female ratio in a colony breeder pen. It will work with enough space in the living quarters. And fertility is phenomenal!

 

[joe125]

Sounds like picking to me, and white/wheat bread, pastas and such are pure evil! I don't really care how much your birds seam to like them.......PURE EVIL!