Missing Feathers, Not Molting

[CajunKenny]

Hi there,

I am a fairly new chicken-eer. I've had my 7 girls for about a year now and three of them have started losing feathers in the middle part of their back. It's happening in the area just above where the tail feathers start.

I have never "dusted" them. Could this be the result of mites?

I live in Eastern Washington. It's arid and dry. We have sagebrush, tumbleweeds, rattlesnakes, and scorpions. We're called the "Evergreen" state; but, where I live it's "Nevergreen"!

Any help would be appreciated!

-Kenny

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

from SW Wash.!

Do you have a roo? Sounds like roo treading damage. If so, they make hen saddles that the hens wear to protect their backs.

If no rooster, yes it can be mites. Look for bugs under the wings and around the vent. However, when my chickens get mites, I get bitten and feel itchy, and can never find the bugs on the hens...but find them in my bath!!! So that is why I just routinely dust now every 2-4 months. They come in on the wild birds.

When you dust with poultry dust (permethrin), make sure you retreat at 7 days for mites and 14 days for lice I have read. I put my dust in a tied-off sock and get the vent area and under the wings abdomen- back and neck (everywhere but the face). Diatomaceous earth doesn't cure an infestation. However, it is nice to give them a dust bath made of DE, sand, woodstove ashes, and dirt if available. Or just sand! This will help them to keep bugs away. You may choose to just give them a dust bath kept out of the rain if you see NO bugs anywhere and are not itchy yourself (no evidence of bugs) as this dusting business is very time consuming and messy.

Don't forget to treat the coop and toss all shavings and nest box shavings with every treatment. I use sand in my coops except for shavings in the nest boxes and don't have to throw away my sand- just sprinkle the dust in there. But those shavings, ugh- I had horrible mite problems when I used shavings. More so than with sand...(I have dealt extensively with mites).

Or it could be that they are plucking feathers and eating them in the coop...you can give them a higher protein feed for awhile to help feather regrowth...like Flock Raiser or unmedicated chick starter (oyster shells either mixed in or on the side, at a rate of 1 lb per 20 lb- per flemingoutdoors.
http://www.flemingoutdoors.com/croysh5lb.html

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/701021/share-your-pictures-of-dust-dirt-baths

 

[CajunKenny]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I do have a Roo. His name is Captain Black Beard. As you pointed out, I noticed today that it is likely due to his servicing. The ones missing the feathers appear to be his favorites.

For now, I'll chalk it up to that and keep on doing what I'm doing.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I do have a Roo. His name is Captain Black Beard. As you pointed out, I noticed today that it is likely due to his servicing. The ones missing the feathers appear to be his favorites.

For now, I'll chalk it up to that and keep on doing what I'm doing.

You can try adding more hens (oh yes we are enablers around here for large quantities of chickens!).

 

[CajunKenny]

Ha ha...True! Well, my first chick ever hatched a couple of days ago so I'm working on it!!!

Only one egg out of four hatched. We'll see how it turns out. The one that hatched is a cross between an Americana (mom) and a Plymouth Rock (roo). It had dark legs and beak and is jet black with a yellow mohawk. Maybe it'll grow up to be a rock star!!!??

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Ha ha...True! Well, my first chick ever hatched a couple of days ago so I'm working on it!!!

Only one egg out of four hatched. We'll see how it turns out. The one that hatched is a cross between an Americana (mom) and a Plymouth Rock (roo). It had dark legs and beak and is jet black with a yellow mohawk. Maybe it'll grow up to be a rock star!!!??

Oh I think that if you cross an Ameraucana with a brown egg layer you can end up with olive egglayers. You might want to read up on it!

 

[hillyardfarmer]

I have a chick who is about 1.5 years old. I got her late may from a place that had a roo. He was pretty rough on her. We have no rooster. She has not grown any feathers back. I notice she picks at herself a bit. I have checked and see no signs of mits. No white clumps or black spots. Winter is comming and I am wondering what to do for her? She makes natural dust baths. Should I just dust the coop with something in case it is mites I can't see? Is it normal for her to be missing some feathers? She did actually get a sun burn in june. I just hope this is molting and a result of the roo.