Missing breast feathers

[pgr]

I know there have been a lot of threads like this; I want to be sure I'm not missing something.

We have 23 hens and a rooster, Speckled Sussex and Blue Laced Red Wyandotte, 9 months old. We noticed one of our Sussex hens has a patch of feathers missing from her breast. She seems to be acting normally, eating and drinking. I'm not sure if she's laying because there are so many of them... Seems like the wrong age/season for molting.

I checked for mites/lice both in the daytime and with a flashlight at night; I don't see anything on any of them. We do have a lot of wild birds in our yard, so that was a consideration. The roosts are smooth and slightly rounded, so they shouldn't be causing trauma. Likewise with the nesting boxes; they are large, smooth, plastic recycling bins with a lower front end, filled with shavings. The skin looks normal. We noticed it a couple days ago - I'm not sure if it's worse or the same.

The chickens are free-range and spend most of the day outside. Our yard has a fully fenced perimeter, though a small critter like a weasel could conceivably get through the holes in the wire fence. We haven't found any feathers on the ground (we have snow so they'd be easier to spot than in summer). I haven't noticed her pecking at her feathers nor others picking on her. Their feed is commercial layer crumbles supplemented with scratch as well as table scraps - I try to give them a bit of greens and some protein (cheese, cottage cheese, etc) once a day.

As far as we can tell, she's the only one with this issue. I considered Permethrin but don't want to treat if I don't see any bugs. One fellow chicken keeper suggested spraying just her and seeing if that helps. Am I missing anything? Any thoughts on what to do other than watch and wait?

 

[Bluebonnet Poultry TX]

She could be going broody. Hens pluck out their belly feathers before they go broody to better insulate the eggs.

 

[pgr]

@Bluebonnet Poultry TX I thought about that. Is it common for them to pluck out the breast feathers without any other signs of broodiness, such as sitting on eggs for a prolonged time, pecking at you when they're in the nest box, etc? Also, though this is my first round of chicken keeping as an adult, I somehow thought the hens would take cues from nature when in comes to timing; we're in Maine and it's February. Up until this week, temps have been in the low twenties during the day and down to single digits at night. It doesn't seem like a great time to start incubating babies! She might think otherwise...

 

[Kirkwooder]

She could be going broody. Hens pluck out their belly feathers before they go broody to better insulate the eggs.

+1 on the broody theory! She is likely getting ready to set on a clutch of eggs.

 

[FreckledEggs]

Is she in the nesting box often (more than she usually is) and are there any other 'bald spots'? I also think she is broody

 

[Bluebonnet Poultry TX]

@Bluebonnet Poultry TX I thought about that. Is it common for them to pluck out the breast feathers without any other signs of broodiness, such as sitting on eggs for a prolonged time, pecking at you when they're in the nest box, etc? Also, though this is my first round of chicken keeping as an adult, I somehow thought the hens would take cues from nature when in comes to timing; we're in Maine and it's February. Up until this week, temps have been in the low twenties during the day and down to single digits at night. It doesn't seem like a great time to start incubating babies! She might think otherwise...

Yes, sometimes that's the first sign. She is in the early stages. If you leave a clutch of eggs in the nest she will likely show more signs of broodiness. I have had many hens go broody in winter.. It is kinda nice because snakes aren't around to eat her eggs.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Am I missing anything? Any thoughts on what to do other than watch and wait?

First.. cheese and cottage cheese are NOT wise or appropriate choices for supplementing protein long term. They're quite high in salt for one thing, chickens don't run on dairy for another, and I'm sure I could come up with dozens more reasons.. not the least of which is cost of diary products both financially and ecologically speaking.

Second STOP with the scratch which diminishes not only protein but other vitamins, minerals, and importantly amino acid levels.. Be sure that this and ALL other TREATS are kept below 10% total daily intake.

With all the birds you're raising being dual purpose plus keeping a boy in the mix, you might consider switching to a grower, flock raiser, all flock, etc.. with oyster shell free choice on the side for active layers. I use Flock Raiser.. for all chicks, roosters, hens and all my birds molt softer now when it hits since switching away from "layer".

Next.. the first poster is correct it COULD be a broody starting.. a few of my ladies do that though most of MINE don't. That DOES look like it could be self inflicted regarding radius reach.. did you happen to find those feathers inside a lay box?

I think YOUR instinct is correct, and while I do use permethryn if needed and it's usually effective.. never without actual cause.. seeing a bug, their nits/eggs, angry red skin below the vent or other indicator.. on ANY individual in the flock & ALL get treated. I mostly do suggest wait and watch, since it sounds like you've done a pretty good investigation already! Great description and pics BTW.

So other times I have seen patches like this appear would be after a pullet confrontation.. especially on a lady like this who may have had a showdown with a Silkie or other bantam.

Molting IS possible regardless of age or time of year since chickens don't read our books and articles about what we think they SHOULD do! It really does NOT look like that to me.. BUT I do see new things every day and continue to learn from them.

I can tell you by looking at her comb and wattles.. she is mature enough to lay. I'm not digging her white comb tips, and it does look a bit (lot) like over preening, and broken feathers.. MORE than it looks like plucking to me.. but the way some of the feathers that are left behind still have in tact ends but are the barbules are detached/frayed more near the body/shaft..

Have you also checked for red mites.. I guess you said after dark, which is when those might usually show up even though they live OFF host and only come out to feed.. but MAYBE it's happening in the day time out in pasture if they live in "wood cracks"?? If you have access to permethrin I can deduce that you're in the US.. but adding your general location might help point to other things like weather pattern, parasite/predator loads. etc. Living in the Pacific Northwest on the coast as I do.. winter is high external parasite likely hood time for poultry lice and norther fowl mite. Some years I MUST treat and others not a sign one OR need to treat. This gal might just be the FIRST to show symptoms.. either the most "sensitive"/aware, weakest immune system/genetics, different mating/bathing/grooming/foraging habits.. In California studies on back yard flock.. 10% of birds carried 90% of the parasite load among the SAME flock. I took bird to vet that accidentally had some feathers pulled and not growing back to make SURE I wasn't missing something... She was declared parasite free. Later that day I checked a cockerel that was leaving as I always do before letting any go.. and he was fairly well loaded and needed/got treating for sure. So just be sure and get a random check here or there spread throughout different members of the flock on occasion and not let your guard down.

Sorry for the bombardment and barrage of information! Your flock sounds gorgeous. I hope you are enjoying BYC, and have many fantastic chicken adventures!

 

[pgr]

Sorry for the bombardment and barrage of information! Your flock sounds gorgeous. I hope you are enjoying BYC, and have many fantastic chicken adventures!

Thank you so much for all the information!!

Re: protein, the dairy was the first thing to come to mind as an example; they only get cheese/cottage cheese rarely. Yes, treats are definitely a very small portion of their diet. I guess my point was that I don't think they should be protein deficient. I'll look at what other feed our store has.

As far as location, we're in central Maine. I haven't seen any mites but will continue to check.

I haven't seen her sitting in the nesting boxes for prolonged periods of time (I don't remember if I've seen her in there at all yesterday/today). Between my three kids and me, we go out to the coop (the coop can be seen from our back door) several times a day, so we would have noticed that she's occupying one. We haven't found clumps of feathers.

Ack. Watching and waiting. Thank you so much to all of you for your input!