Missing feathers.

[Elegantenvy]

My poor speckled Sussex hen has one tail feather left and it's tiny! Just went out to water them and noticed. No bald spot though! And she's my only one not laying yet... At least I don't think. I've got 4 laying but she has a pinkish comb. The others are already red.

Could it be Jack my rooster just being rough with her? Or any other ideas? She seems normal otherwise, the poor girl is just losing tail feathers.

I'd take a picture but it's dark out already.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How old is she?
Photos are always helpful, so we look forward to seeing them

Do you notice if Jack is favoring her more than the others? If he is a young fella like your pullets, then the missing feathers could be due to his overzealous behavior. Cockerels can be quite rambunctious.

Consider how much space you have in your coop/run - overcrowding can also lend to feather loss - chickens pick/pluck one another's feathers out of boredom and stress. Observe them during roosting time to see if someone is plucking out her feathers.

 

[Elegantenvy]

How old is she?
Photos are always helpful, so we look forward to seeing them

Do you notice if Jack is favoring her more than the others? If he is a young fella like your pullets, then the missing feathers could be due to his overzealous behavior. Cockerels can be quite rambunctious.

Consider how much space you have in your coop/run - overcrowding can also lend to feather loss - chickens pick/pluck one another's feathers out of boredom and stress. Observe them during roosting time to see if someone is plucking out her feathers.

I wanna say she's.. 5monthsish? I got my chicks when they were all different ages, shes the last to start laying. I haven't noticed him bugging her stuff all. And they have plenty of space. Could she be at the bottom of the pecking order maybe? I'll have to get a picture.

 

[Elegantenvy]

How old is she?
Photos are always helpful, so we look forward to seeing them
Here's a picture!
Do you notice if Jack is favoring her more than the others? If he is a young fella like your pullets, then the missing feathers could be due to his overzealous behavior. Cockerels can be quite rambunctious.

Consider how much space you have in your coop/run - overcrowding can also lend to feather loss - chickens pick/pluck one another's feathers out of boredom and stress. Observe them during roosting time to see if someone is plucking out her feathers.

 

[Trux]

I wanna say she's.. 5monthsish? I got my chicks when they were all different ages, shes the last to start laying. I haven't noticed him bugging her stuff all. And they have plenty of space. Could she be at the bottom of the pecking order maybe? I'll have to get a picture.

You may have a feather picker, so you may need to take sometime to watch your girls from a chair for a couple hours. I have 3 Columbian Wy's that look terrible, all their back feathers got plucked out. Turned out to be my Jersey Giants, 2 got rehomed and one went to freezer camp. No more missing feathers until last week when they started to molt

 

[Elegantenvy]

Hmm. I'll have to pay more attention for sure. Is there a way to discourage it? Or am I doomed?

 

[aart]

Do I see some pin feathers there?
Wonders if she still growing feather after last juveniles molt,
or she is getting feathers picked/plucked by other birds?

 

[Elegantenvy]

I'm not sure what pin feathers are. But maybe. I tried to take a close up but it was difficult. And it's dusk so lighting wasn't on my side.

 

[aart]

pin feathers

.....are new feathers growing after a molt or a feather has been fully plucked out.
https://www.google.com/search?q=chi...k6_dAhWlyoMKHf_-BKIQ_AUICygC&biw=1431&bih=674

 

[Elegantenvy]

It does feel kinda.. pokey. For lack of a better word. Do they molt before they lay? I'm a first timer so this is all new to me.