Help with thinning feathers

[Eggs82]

I’ve recently noticed all of my hens appear to have thinning feathers. There all around 15 months old, I’ve checked them for any visible pests and can’t find anything. I’ve read about feather mites but didn’t see any examples that seemed to match what my girls feathers look like. I’m worried as I have 8, 7 week old chicks I’m getting ready to integrate and don’t want to have to treat a bigger problem if I don’t have to. I’ll post a pic of one of my reds thinning feathers. Any help, ideas would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[NNYchick]

Are they molting? They are about the right age.

 

[Mckennas poultry]

I had a BR x Sussex hen with that, she molted and now she has new feathers and she’s looking healthier than ever, I think wet weather can cause that

 

[Eggs82]

I don’t think there molting, a few of them partially molted during the winter. Just on there neck.... weird. They free range and there definitely not afraid of the rain or getting wet.

 

[Mckennas poultry]

Mine are free range and go under the trees if it’s raining

Do you have a rooster in the flock ?

 

[Eggs82]

Mine are free range and go under the trees if it’s raining

Do you have a rooster in the flock ?

As long as it’s not pouring mine will stand out in the rain like it’s no big deal. If it’s a real downpour they’ll get into my lean to or stand under there coop. And we don’t have a rooster. He started getting aggressive towards my daughter so he had to go.

 

[Mckennas poultry]

It’s not like it’s uncommon, sometimes you buy hens like that, they usually lose them feathers while molting do you give them diatomaceous earth ?

 

[Eggs82]

I haven’t tried DE. They dust bathe in so many different places I wouldn’t know where to put it. I’m hoping there feathers are just getting raggedy as there 15 months old and they’ll get better when they molt. Just worried to death about integrating these 8 new EE chicks then having to treat 13 chickens instead of 5.

 

[Mckennas poultry]

It wouldn’t be a big issue anyways, wait until they fully molt. If they continue to get worse I’d get a tub of DE and sprinkle it on them

 

[Eggs82]

Ok I guess I’ll just wait it out until they molt and hope for the best. Pests are a real pain, I already went through a battle with scaly leg mites. Catching a bunch of chickens and dipping there legs in oil every couple days for a few weeks was a real adventure.