Major feather loss Help!

[Alic3]

Black spots are usually from being pecked, confirmed by a little part missing. I guess I'd try putting that one with the silkies? If you can get a picture, that would help confirm it's this, and not pox.

Can you maybe narrow this down to who are the bullies? Maybe it's just a couple of mean ones that need to be set apart.

Here are some pictures. I noticed that they are on both of my Cochin roosters and two of my lavender Orpington. I could only get one Orpington to cooperate, so the other pictures are not too good.

 

[Debbie292d]

As @Debbie292d stated, the bird is a frizzle or perhaps even a frazzle of some sort - not a silkie. Feather quality in such birds is frequently poor. Separation from larger birds bullying/breeding her will help to improve her quality of life. Unless you actually see mites or lice, she does not need treatment of any sort.

It still could be a silkie though as frizzle is just the feather type, and many breeds can be frizzles.

Here's one of mine with a long name, a frizzle cuckoo silkie. I have an orange frizzle hen that's gorgeous too, just can't breed those two together as that's when a frazzle is created which will usually have degraded feathering and poor hearts, and generally don't live a full life.

 

[Debbie292d]

Here are some pictures. I noticed that they are on both of my Cochin roosters and two of my lavender Orpington. I could only get one Orpington to cooperate, so the other pictures are not too good.

I still say that's pecking, but you could post it in our Emergency Forum to see what others think, just in case I'm wrong.

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC. You've gotten some good advice. Good luck!

 

[sourland]

It still could be a silkie though as frizzle is just the feather type, and many breeds can be frizzles.

Can a frizzle really be a full blooded silkie? It was my understanding that to introduce frizzle another type of DNA was needed.

 

[Jener8or]

I hope you find a solution and her feathers grow back in and she is good as new.

Thanks for joining! Welcome to BackYard Chickens!

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

 

[Debbie292d]

Can a frizzle really be a full blooded silkie? It was my understanding that to introduce frizzle another type of DNA was needed.

They can be if bred to be that way. It's sort of like the satin silkies. Both frizzles and satins are a silkie (breed) feather type, as frizzles and satins aren't breeds here, but I know in other countries, frizzle is its own breed.

My understanding was for both those types, generations before, cochins were mixed with silkies to produce the different feather variations. So it can be a feather variation bred in, but it's still a silkie, or whatever breed you're doing this with. The APA recognizes frizzle as a trait in any recognized breed of chicken, and does not list it as a separate breed.

The ones I have came from hatching eggs from exhibition breeders, one is indigoegg.com.

Some have "showgirls" which are naked neck silkies. I've sold any I accidentally got as we don't like them much.

There may be more intricacies to this all, but by all accounts, what we've got here are pure silkies with different feather types.

 

[sourland]

Again, don't all satin 'silkies' contain Cochin DNA - making them crossbreds?

 

[triciayoung]

Is there a certain brand you use for permethrin dust? I’ve tried diatomaceous earth before. Should I use that or buy permethrin dust?

I use Hy-yield. I also use this for any fire ants that try to come into the chicken yard