Missing feathers and not laying

[MissLissa1981]

One of our chickens (we have 4) has stopped laying eggs recently (it’s been about 2 weeks) and we haven’t been all that worried since we know they can slow down in winter. However over the last few days we have been noticing lots of her feathers inside the coop. They seem to mostly be coming from her neck but other spots too. I assume she isn’t pulling these herself due to the location. And she isn’t old enough to be molting. I have witnessed the other chickens eating the feathers. I guess I’m looking for advice of how to handle this. Up until now, this bird pictured has been the leader of the pack but it seems as though the tables have turned. Thanks I’m advance for any advice you may have. I feel like separating her from the other three would be damaging to her station in the pecking order, but I don’t want her to end up hurt anymore.

 

[rosemarythyme]

How old is she? Younger birds can still molt, which is what it looks like, as she has a good collection of pin feathers coming in. Are there other bare patches on her? (Edit: Just saw your other post, is the one in the snow the most recent? I saw some smaller bare looking areas on her back and maybe near the belly too.)

No need to separate her or do anything specific, though a higher protein diet can help with feather growth.

 

[Ridgerunner]

And she isn’t old enough to be molting.

Why not? Chickens of any age can molt. Why do you think she is different?

They seem to mostly be coming from her neck but other spots too.

When a chicken molts the feathers come off in a certain pattern. The head and neck feathers come off first. The birds will lose old feathers and grow a new set in the following order: head, neck, body, wings and tail.

I have witnessed the other chickens eating the feathers.

This is totally normal. Chickens often eat feathers floating around, especially the small fluffy ones but they will eat the others too. While the protein in feathers is a little hard to digest, it is still free protein. Chickens will eat about anything.

I guess I’m looking for advice of how to handle this.

Personally I just leave them alone. Molting is normal and natural. It is not a disease. They tend to stop laying and use the nutrition that was going into making to make feathers. I don't see any reason to change diet, housing, anything.

 

[MissLissa1981]

How old is she? Younger birds can still molt, which is what it looks like, as she has a good collection of pin feathers coming in. Are there other bare patches on her? (Edit: Just saw your other post, is the one in the snow the most recent? I saw some smaller bare looking areas on her back and maybe near the belly too.)

No need to separate her or do anything specific, though a higher protein diet can help with feather growth.

I am new to chicken keeping but I had read they usually don’t molt until after they’re 1. She is probably about 9-10 months now. I’d be glad if it was molting TBH.

 

[MissLissa1981]

How old is she? Younger birds can still molt, which is what it looks like, as she has a good collection of pin feathers coming in. Are there other bare patches on her? (Edit: Just saw your other post, is the one in the snow the most recent? I saw some smaller bare looking areas on her back and maybe near the belly too.)

No need to separate her or do anything specific, though a higher protein diet can help with feather growth.

She’s 9-10 months. I had read that molting didn’t happen until their second year. I’d be glad if it was just something that simple TBH.

 

[MissLissa1981]

Why not? Chickens of any age can molt. Why do you think she is different?


When a chicken molts the feathers come off in a certain pattern. The head and neck feathers come off first. The birds will lose old feathers and grow a new set in the following order: head, neck, body, wings and tail.


This is totally normal. Chickens often eat feathers floating around, especially the small fluffy ones but they will eat the others too. While the protein in feathers is a little hard to digest, it is still free protein. Chickens will eat about anything.


Personally I just leave them alone. Molting is normal and natural. It is not a disease. They tend to stop laying and use the nutrition that was going into making to make feathers. I don't see any reason to change diet, housing, anything.

I had read that molting didn’t happen until their second year but I’d be very happy to be misinformed on this and have this be a natural process. We just want to keep our hens healthy. Thanks for your reply!

 

[50-45-1]

I've had chickens for fifty years and never saw one molt like that.
Check for mites. She may be scratching them out. Do this after dark with a bright headlamp if your hen is skittish about being handled.
How much room do your 4 hens have?
Spend time in the coop run area just observing. You may pick up on an odd behavior that answers this question.
I too would not remove her from the flock.

 

[chicken and duck lover]

One of our chickens (we have 4) has stopped laying eggs recently (it’s been about 2 weeks) and we haven’t been all that worried since we know they can slow down in winter. However over the last few days we have been noticing lots of her feathers inside the coop. They seem to mostly be coming from her neck but other spots too. I assume she isn’t pulling these herself due to the location. And she isn’t old enough to be molting. I have witnessed the other chickens eating the feathers. I guess I’m looking for advice of how to handle this. Up until now, this bird pictured has been the leader of the pack but it seems as though the tables have turned. Thanks I’m advance for any advice you may have. I feel like separating her from the other three would be damaging to her station in the pecking order, but I don’t want her to end up hurt anymore.

this happened to one of my girls she stopped for a month now she is laying. Yours will lay soon

 

[Artichoke Lover]

I am new to chicken keeping but I had read they usually don’t molt until after they’re 1. She is probably about 9-10 months now. I’d be glad if it was molting TBH.

It looks like a normal molt. Especially with the new feathers coming in. She could be going through a full molt or just a partial molt. Several of mine went through a partial molt at 9 months. No real reason to do anything different unless you notice she is getting skinny or that feathers are broken off. A higher protein feed certainly wouldn’t hurt though. (I does not look like mites to me at all) She should start laying again when her molt is finished.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I had read that molting didn’t happen until their second year

Some pullets, not all but some, skip the molt their first fall/winter and continue laying through out their first winter, all the way until they molt the following fall. But some molt their first fall/winter. You read all kinds of things on this forum about the molt. Some say it is only at certain times of the year. Others say never until their second year. You can read that a molt only occurs at 18 months of age. None of these are true for every chicken on the planet. They are all different.

Look at post 142 on this thread. This was a molting contest in 2018.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-best-worst-chicken-molt-pics.1269409/page-15

I've had chickens for fifty years and never saw one molt like that.

Check out the hen in that molting contest. I've had some pretty rough molters but never any this bad. This hen is probably the worst I've ever had and she is nothing compared to the contest hen.