Lost feathers, weight, and not laying eggs

[Redallrob]

Thank you in advance for your help!

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.) - Golden Comet / 3yrs old / thinner and lighter / loosing a lot of feathers
2) What is the behavior, exactly. - off by itself/ away from other 3 girls
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? 2-3 weeks thought it was a late molting at first / or last in pecking order
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? Not that I can tell, but one other chicken has been laying less
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. - No
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. - No clue
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. - same 16% feed. Water with a little apple cider vinegar
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. runny at times / brownish green
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? Added diatomaceous earth to the food / added a little more apple cider vinegar to water. Cleaned out coop and replaced bedding.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? - Treat myself.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. - attaching pictures
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use - pine shavings and pine saw dust / coop with run / let free range almost once a day

 

[Tookie]

She's molting.
She's just not feeling well.
Keep an eye on her and if she gets more lethargic then let us know.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

She is having a hard molt. Not every molt a bird has is a hard molt, but she looks like she's having one. The pain of all the new feather growth could be causing most of the problems. The hard molt and her age should be the leading factors to her not laying eggs. To assist in the molt, separate to a smooth walled space with minimal light if any.

As far as adding Diatomaceous Earth (DE) to the feed, from my experience, is bad for chicken's respiratory system. I suggest not feeding your flock anymore. Maybe hold back on the ACV. On a side note, does it have the mother? If it doesn't, it won't work.

Keep an eye on her, especially her poops.

 

[Redallrob]

She's molting.
She's just not feeling well.
Keep an eye on her and if she gets more lethargic then let us know.

Wow. Ok. I got the 4 of them when they were 7 month old layers and none have never done this before. Do they not lay when they are molting? A year ago we would get 4 eggs a day. Then this summer it went to 3 or 4. Now we are getting 2-3 eggs a day. Maybe that’s age? These 4 are our first chickens.

 

[SilverBirds]

Looks like she's going through a very hard molt. Molts usually last around 10 weeks and they do not lay during the time.

Stop feeding them the Diatomaceous Earth. Contrary to what you might read on the internet, it is very bad for their health and should not be used in feeding, dust bathes, or bug killer (such as mites/lice/ticks), etc.

 

[SilverBirds]

Will she lay again after molting? And I was wrong on her age ‍♂. Got her a year into Covid so they are just a little over 2, not 3. Thanks!

She should start laying again after she's done molting. Depending on where you live in the world, diminishing daylight and approaching winter will slow down egg production.

 

[Tookie]

Wow. Ok. I got the 4 of them when they were 7 month old layers and none have never done this before. Do they not lay when they are molting? A year ago we would get 4 eggs a day. Then this summer it went to 3 or 4. Now we are getting 2-3 eggs a day. Maybe that’s age? These 4 are our first chickens.

At her age and breed she is slowing down on egg production. They do not lay during molts.

 

[Redallrob]

She is having a hard molt. Not every molt a bird has is a hard molt, but she looks like she's having one. The pain of all the new feather growth could be causing most of the problems. The hard molt and her age should be the leading factors to her not laying eggs. To assist in the molt, separate to a smooth walled space with minimal light if any.

As far as adding Diatomaceous Earth (DE) to the feed, from my experience, is bad for chicken's respiratory system. I suggest not feeding your flock anymore. Maybe hold back on the ACV. On a side note, does it have the mother? If it doesn't, it won't work.

Keep an eye on her, especially her poops.

Thank you!

 

[SilverBirds]

Wow. Ok. I got the 4 of them when they were 7 month old layers and none have never done this before. Do they not lay when they are molting?

All chickens molt once a year. They probably went through a very light molt before and you didn't notice. And no, the don't lay when molting.

 

[Redallrob]

At her age and breed she is slowing down on egg production. They do not lay during molts.

Will she lay again after molting? And I was wrong on her age ‍♂. Got her a year into Covid so they are just a little over 2, not 3. Thanks!