Lois Lane needs help!

[friendlychick]

Can anyone tell me what's wrong with my chicken Lois Lane. Her sisters all have nice full feathers but hers look moth eaten. She doesn't have a full wing span when she shakes her wings out and not many tail feathers to shake.

I would prefer a natural remedy but will do what must done.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

is she molting? https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/696604/molting

 

[normanack]

I can't help, but others might be able to, particularly if they have more information.

How long have you had your chickens? Did you get them all at the same time? Has this one always looked like this or is this condition new?

Is she eating, drinking, and behaving normally?

How do her beak, comb, feet, and vent look?

Are the others picking on her?

Good luck! I hope it's a simple moult or something like that.

And -- welcome to BYC!

 

[friendlychick]

Thanks for the replies.

We have had Lois since January this year. When she and her sister Isa's first turned up they were pretty bald as they were molting and had come from a farm where they were not well looked after.. Since then the others have feathered up very nicely.

We have recently introduced 4 new chickens and found that Lois is second from the top in the pecking order - so no-one is picking on her. She is eating, drinking and socialising normally, and her beak and comb are healthy. We have treated her for lice twice already and she takes dirt baths on a regular basis.

Whatever is causing the lack of feathers only seems to be affecting the wings from about half way along, and the tip of her tail.

Any further replies of suggestions are muchly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

she doesnt stay wet pretty much does she?

 

[normanack]

I hesitate to comment as I don't have any experience with this -- I did read that there are a number of feather mutations that aren't as nice as frizzling or silkiness, but instead cause conditions like bare patches or shaft defects, etc. Dysplastic remiges is one that affects wing and tail feathers. I have no idea how rare these mutations are or exactly what they look like; my guess is something far more common is the cause. But I just thought I'd mention it.