Hi

[turtleshoes]

Hello,

I've been a member since last year and did a lot of reading when I first got my chicks but never posted.

I have 5 hens and one of them is losing her tail feathers, is not laying now for over a week and is not roosting with the other girls at night.

I am concerned and a little green about chickens (although I have learned a lot from this forum) so if anyone would like to comment and help that would be great!

turtleshoes

 

[Cats Critters]

and she might be molting, do a search on it you will find lots of info on it.

 

[Muscovies]

from North Carolina

 

[mississippifarmboy]

from Mississippi

 

[mgw]

Welcome, from Eastern Wa.

 

[S&N Livestock]

from Ohio

 

[3chimama]

Welcome from Oregon...are you sure she's not molting??

 

[Wild Trapper]

from Ohio.

You say she isn't roosting with the other hens. Where is she roosting? What breed are your birds? Have you noticed any of the other hens pecking at her? Is there a rooster with them? Are you using a light to extend their light hours? What are you feeding them and is she eating properly?

She could be molting, if so, she would not be laying eggs until new feathers come out. Putting a light on a timer, will help her come out of it quicker and will help egg production with all your girls.

If she is trying to roost in the nest box, but not laying eggs, she could be broody.

Certain breeds are prone to cannibalism, in other word, due to over crowding or just boredom they will single one bird out and start picking or in this case pecking at her.

If she is staying on a nest box all the time and not laying eggs, you might have a broody hen.

I suspect the issue is molting being the time of year and all, but there are other things it could also be.

 

[turtleshoes]

Thanks so much, everyone, for the welcomes and replies. She's not broody because she's never in the box.

This hen is my only mixed breed which I hatched. She looks to be part silky and part leghorn.

My other hens are as follows, one rhode island red, one cornish, one delaware and one buff orpington. They all get along very well. She very well may be moulting because she is about a year old now. Also, it has been rainy and somewhat dark here in Calfornia. I will try to give them a light but the coop is outside.

Thanks again for all your responses. I'm going to try to be more active here very soon.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

and

from Ohio.