Irregular Feather Growth...Any Advice Appreciated!!!

[AvocadoAbi]

Hi y'all!
So this summer, my chickens went through this whole malnourished stage...(it was completely my fault, I wasn't too informed on feed diet while free ranging them)...and they lost nearly all their feathers.
After I posted about them in BYC, I got some advice on how to maintain a healthy diet for them. And it worked! All my chickens' feathers grew back to normal...except one:
My Buff Orpington Angelica doesn't seem to have recovered. Sure she grew back some feathers, (except for under her wings), but they are all broken, and she basically doesn't have a tail (pictures below). She hasn't molted yet, and I'm not sure she's going to molt this year.
I don't think it's my rooster, he still doesn't have sharp spurs, just tiny nubs.
And I don't think it's rodents either, their coop is elevated and locked at night, so I don't see how rodents could get in.
I feed them layer crumble, and give them plenty of protein (especially during this time of year).
Please help! I want her to be healthy again and look normal!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

She may be molting now possibly. Have you seen any evidence that another is pecking her feathers? Have you wormed your flock this year, and if so, what did you use?

 

[AvocadoAbi]

She may be molting now possibly. Have you seen any evidence that another is pecking her feathers? Have you wormed your flock this year, and if so, what did you use?

I haven't seen anyone picking her feathers.
I gave them natural wormers (pumpkin, garlic, nasturtium, ACV) since commercial wormers are thought to be bad for them.

 

[Eggcessive]

If you do some research you may find that natural wormers (pumpkin seed) do not work. There is some info about that at the bottom of this article:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/control-treatment-of-worms-in-chickens/

I was asking about worming since SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer or horse paste, has been known to cause possible feather problems, when given during molting.

 

[AvocadoAbi]

If you do some research you may find that natural wormers (pumpkin seed) do not work. There is some info about that at the bottom of this article:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/control-treatment-of-worms-in-chickens/

I was asking about worming since SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer or horse paste, has been known to cause possible feather problems, when given during molting.

Hmmm ok.
Is there anything I can do to help feathers grow healthy?

 

[Eggcessive]

Once she molts they may be fine. Just stick to a balanced chickens feed with at least 16-20% protein.

 

[AvocadoAbi]

Once she molts they may be fine. Just stick to a balanced chickens feed with at least 16-20% protein.

When do you think enough waiting is enough waiting? (I'm asking since this has been going on for about 5 months )

 

[Aunt Angus]

Oh my gosh! I thought my girl Jessamine would never regrow her feathers! But she is FINALLY growing some new feathers. It's been over a YEAR. My poor girl looks like she's either molting or picked on, but neither were true.

Here's what I *think* happened. Maybe it will sound similar???

I got Jess as a rescue hen. She was part of a teenager's abandoned FFA project. She was left in a pen and was fed only wheat and corn for YEARS - no grass, no sunshine, no coop, no roost, no dust bath. I had to treat her for lice, mites, sour crop, worms, and vent gleet (she was also VERY underweight).

So I was thinking she would thrive on good chicken feed, a clean coop, fresh water, grass, and sunshine. She had a good long molt that first fall, but she looked worse afterwards!

Here she is when I first got her

Not great, right? Well, here she is AFTER her first molt with us:

Holy cow! We called her (affectionately, of course) "Jess the Mess."

People here on BYC thought it was either lice/mites or being picked on. So I checked her over. All was good. I watched her interactions with the rest of the flock. No problems there, either. She is def not at the bottom of the pecking order. She is really a fantastic chicken. So much personality!

But just a few days ago, I noticed pin feathers coming in! Her neck is still fatherless, but she's going to have a full set of feathers on her bum and her wings for the first time!

Maybe your girl is just a "Mess," too? It's actually quite reassuring to see that someone else has this issue in their flock!

 

[AvocadoAbi]

Oh my gosh! I thought my girl Jessamine would never regrow her feathers! But she is FINALLY growing some new feathers. It's been over a YEAR. My poor girl looks like she's either molting or picked on, but neither were true.

Here's what I *think* happened. Maybe it will sound similar???

I got Jess as a rescue hen. She was part of a teenager's abandoned FFA project. She was left in a pen and was fed only wheat and corn for YEARS - no grass, no sunshine, no coop, no roost, no dust bath. I had to treat her for lice, mites, sour crop, worms, and vent gleet (she was also VERY underweight).

So I was thinking she would thrive on good chicken feed, a clean coop, fresh water, grass, and sunshine. She had a good long molt that first fall, but she looked worse afterwards!

Here she is when I first got her
View attachment 2883288

Not great, right? Well, here she is AFTER her first molt with us:
View attachment 2883289

Holy cow! We called her (affectionately, of course) "Jess the Mess."

People here on BYC thought it was either lice/mites or being picked on. So I checked her over. All was good. I watched her interactions with the rest of the flock. No problems there, either. She is def not at the bottom of the pecking order. She is really a fantastic chicken. So much personality!

But just a few days ago, I noticed pin feathers coming in! Her neck is still fatherless, but she's going to have a full set of feathers on her bum and her wings for the first time!

Maybe your girl is just a "Mess," too? It's actually quite reassuring to see that someone else has this issue in their flock!

Wow your story is so inspiring to me!
I'm glad it isn't just me...I've been so worried about whether my hen'll ever look normal...but this really made my day!

 

[Aunt Angus]

Wow your story is so inspiring to me!
I'm glad it isn't just me...I've been so worried about whether my hen'll ever look normal...but this really made my day!

I am so glad! I'll get some pictures of my Jess tomorrow and post them here. It really did take her nearly a year and a half. I still have no idea what went wrong or why it took her so long to finally start growing feathers again. But here's to hope!