Hen losing feathers. What do I do?

[chickenkeeper34]

My hen is losing the feathers on her back, tail, and head. Does anyone have any idea what it can be?

 

[nkacerek]

How old is she? Could she be molting? Photos may help!

Hope your chickie gets better

 

[Cochin378]

It sounds like your chicken is molting. The molting sequence is head, neck, back, breast, stern, thighs, wings, tail. Birds molt twice a year,once in the spring and once in the fall. They molt to prepare themselves for the change of seasons.

Or your chicken has lice which you can treat with poultry dust or one spot.

Good Luck.

 

[oesdog]

It really sounds like a molt and nothing to worry about.

My young hen Drumstick started her first molt last June and by the end of October she was still practically bold! She took months for the feathers to start to grow back and it was cold and horrible weather here. She looked like she had been plucked! I just kept her in the coop a good deal of the day so she didn;t get a chill and I fed her lots of nice things like scrambled egg and Tuna fish, some banana bread and yogurt. On top of this I gave her extra Vitamins too. It was quite a shock to see her in such a severe molt - they usually don;t have it quite so bad and not usually that long either. This year was totally different she just thinned out a bit around her neck and didn;t even stop laying so I guess it was just bad for the first year. She is fine now. I really think your girl is just unfortunate to have a severe molt going on. So don;t worry its natural she will probably go off her lay. My Drumstick didn't lay for 4 months last year but didn;t miss laying at all this year. Honestly I was so close to knitting her a jumper!

Oesdog - good luck.

 

[chickenkeeper34]

her is a pic of her couldnt get a great one she kept moving

 

[kudzu vine]

I have a Copper Maran that looks just like that. She is not molting. The head baldness I believe is due to the rooster. The baldness on her wing base I believe could be from spurs - which I've removed. When I can catch her, I put ointment but doesn't seem to help too much. She's still laying but looks awful.

 

[chickenkeeper34]

i thought she was a welsumer i hope its molting but i dont know i have her seperated from the rooster but i guess ill see what happens

 

[nkacerek]

What a beautiful hen! I would seperate her for a bit and see if she starts growing feathers back.

If she keeps losing more, then I would say it's a molt

One thing I have heard is good to do while they are molting (or anytime) is to provide electrolytes in their water which you can get at any feed store or TSC.

Best of luck!