Lethargic Chicken Missing Back Feathers -- Help!

[ginmaxboise]

I have a 16 week old Ameracauna hen that has been either curled up in the corner of the run or sort of asleep on her feet this morning. It won't drink water or eat any of the variety of foods I brought out. When I picked her up to gently force her to drink some water, I noticed that her back is bare of feathers. Her face, wings, etc. look fine. We have a small but clean and cozy coop in town where roosters are not allowed.

I have three other hens which seem to be fine. The Ameracauna (named Owly because it really looks like on owl or a hawk) is by far the smallest and may even be a banty. A month or so ago Owly got picked on a little by the single older chicken, a year and a half old Welsummer. But, for weeks now everyone has gotten along without issues.

Owly is currently separated from the others for observation.

A few possible clues:

1) I think I may have seen a glimpse of the asleep-on-the-feet behavior a couple of weeks ago

2) We recently re-configured the chicken run so some of the sleeping arrangements changed. Owly used to sleep on a perch in an open cage in the run tucked up under a larger Wyandotte/Leghorn mix

3) The group just changed from Finisher food to Layer Pellets since the RIR of similar age layed her first egg 2 days ago.

4) We've had what have seemed to be very healthy chickens for a little over a year. Up until now, we haven't done any worming, used antibotics, known much about mites, or anything else etc.

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

What color is her poo?

 

[ginmaxboise]

No Poo since isolated. Will post when we see any.

 

[ginmaxboise]

Poo looks completely normal. The skin on her back is completely exposed and she looks like just skin over bone. I do not know if this type of chicken is normally that skinny or not as she seems fat because of the feathers.

 

[kargo]

Hmmm....i lost a chick a few days ago that was featherless along the bottom and acting lethargic. Can yours walk? mine would not move.

 

[ginmaxboise]

It stood for just a moment first thing this morning when I went out to the run.

But, I'm afraid things have worsened over the past three hours. She's not responding to anything. I guess she's pretty much gone now.

Whatever the issue is (or was) she definitely had gotten to be skin and bones. She looked and sounded fine last night. Those puffed up feathers fooled me.

I guess all I can do now is try to make her comfortable if possible and take an extra close look at the remaining three. They all seem fat and happy.