Loss of feathers, bad vision & staggering

[alisachickies]

Today I noticed my hen lost a huge amount of feathers, all around her neck going down her back, under wings and some under butt. She also seems to have a hard time seeing and is staggering a bit. Shes normally right there waiting for her treats but today she stayed back and then tried walking around and eating a bit. She was sort of staggering around and seemed like she was super cautious because she couldn’t see very well. At one point she headed up in the coop and when she tried to come back down the ladder she started tumbling down. I’m nervous she may have something but I can’t find anything with those symptoms online. She was fine yesterday, and had no loss of feathers that I could tell. I’ll also mention my hens (4 total) haven’t laid eggs in about a week or so which has never happened with this flock.

 

[TennesseeFarm]

Sounds like molting time. I can't say why the chicken is stumbling, but loss of feathers and stop laying are tell tell signs if molt. Check her very closely fir mites. They also will cause a chicken to stop laying and lose feathers. If no mites then then I'd assume molt.

 

[shtkckrs]

This is happening to one of our chickens this morning! From my books, I am seeing possible causes as protein or vitamin deficiency, eating something foreign like a piece of wire or twine. Plus, I thought in her weakened state of alertness, she may have been attacked, as well. Her back and wing feathers are broken at the base, not released. What was your chicken's outcome? Did you find a cause or treatment that worked?