Losing feather. Molting or something worse???

[tschreier]

Need help/ advice.

A month or so ago I noticed one of my girls losing tail feathers. I thought it was a pecking issue until a week or so later I noticed some of the others losing feathers. I've had no signs of mites or lice. No broken skin or blood. Just bare skin along the tail and maybe up the back.

I sprayed the area down with mite/ lice spray and used blue kote stuff to blend the exposed skin on the darker ones. I sprinkled DE also.

All the girls act fine with no alarming behavior.

I've noticed some have 'fluffy' feathers growing on some if the girls.

I read several things on molting but the way they are losing feathers doesn't match the typical way a chicken losing them during this time.

Does this sound like molting?

This is my first experience raising chickens so I may be just paranoid.

 

[TheEggCollecter]

No need to worry just the chickens molting. The fluffy feathers you notice they are growing are downy feathers. They will be back to looking like themselves in no time.

 

[Mrs. K]

They don't all molt the same. I had one, that in one night, it looked like a pillow has exploded in the hen house, and I means she was nearly bare! And I have had them look just motley, with bare spots just here and there.

Generally they quit laying, but other than that act fine. Giving a little bit of meat, or a can of cat food, ups the protein, and that helps grow the feathers back.

However, in my experience, sick chickens act sick. IF they are not acting poorly, don't worry.

Mrs K

 

[tschreier]

Thank you so much for the reassurance.