Hen was feather loss around neck, chest, small areas around back

[aussiemixmom]

At first I thought she was molting (a few months ago) but now I can tell that its not molting but something very different.

She has lost a lot of her feathers around her neck (the picture was taken last month and now she has almost no feathers around her neck at all), a bald spot on her chest and some loss of all feathers on a spot on her back. What is even stranger is the feathers she does have are very stiff and brittle, not soft. It kind of reminds me of someone that has skin that hardened due to topical steroids on their skin (skin becomes thick and hard).

I watched her again this evening and noticed that she does groom herself quite a bit and often will sit droop off for a bit before snapping out of it.

She is the only one of my girls that displays that.

I have a flock of 14 hens that have a large coop inside a enclosed lean to on the barn and have access to the outside (3/4 acre) all day (which they spend their days outside most days till evening) .

I don't see any "bugs" on her when I try to look so I am not sure what this could be or how to help her. Any advise is appreciated.

 

[mommax6]

I have the same issue with my chicken. I've searched and I have found no answers! She doesn't have mites or any other parasite that I can see. She still eats and lays eggs.
Someone have any ideas? Thank you!

 

[coolchicksrule6]

Hi there, going through exactly the same. This musy be more common than we think. Could it be the other chicken.prcking her. This is something l.have seen mine doing.to her but its all over. What do you guys thinks?

edited by staff

 

[CamarilloChickN]

I have the same problems with my Brahma. She is just 1 year old, and she started losing her down feathers around her butt in November 2014.
It has been six months and she is still losing her down feathers. Nothing around her butt, or under her wings. Now the small feathers around her tail is missing. She looks like she is being "plucked".
She still has a hardy appetite and lays beautiful eggs. I thought maybe one of the other hens was picking on her, but I have never seen it happen.
Ideas anyone???

 

[Wol1]

You might want to check out my saga about my half naked chickens: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/898440/massive-feather-loss. Not sure it's same, but I posted pictures.