hello chicken lovers, We are worried about our beautiful blue Americauna hen. She is loosing feathers. Mostly tail and downy feathers. We thought it was just molting season at first but something else is going on. She is also not laying eggs. Her last egg was soft and we thought that was due to the shorter days and molting but I now think not. It is my son's favorite chicken, we saved her from a the grip of a fishercat this summer, we'd hate to loose her now. Does anyone have any thoughts? Big hopes, Lynn
First off Welcome to BYC. Well, the most obvious would be molting and darker days. Why do you not think it is this? My next guess would be lice or mites. Here's a link to some information: http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html Any other symptoms? Here's some questions that might help the experts here help: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3569 Good luck, Imp
Firstly Welcome to the Forum! I think your hen is going into a molt. When molting egg-production nearly or absolutely stops. She'll start soon to grow little "spikes" which are pin feathers. She will look a bit strange for a few weeks but should be okay after her molt is complete. Here is a thread, that will illustrate the little "spikes" she'll develop where she lost feathers, https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=394556
What are other symptoms? BTW - it still is likely molting, as they stop laying when they are molting. The half formed, soft egg could be one that was starting to develop in her prior to the start of the molt and her body didn't finish the production of it - but she needed to get it out of her body. Does she have pokey pin feathers coming in? Look close. They come in within days of the other feathers falling out. Look up: molt, 2010 on this site and you will see how horrible molting can look - it is truly amazing!
Thanks for your thoughts Wisconsin and South Africa(!). My husband was just in Madison a few weeks ago. We have Pearl in the kitchen tonight. Nursing her back to good health we hope! No one mentioned giving her antibiotics but I wonder if we should try. I don't see any signs of lice or mite infestation. She is eating all her favorites but she is usually much more social. I'll let you know how she turns out. Thanks so much.
