Missing Feathers

[hgottman2]

My flock consists of 9 hens and 1 rooster. I noticed my Favaucana is continuing to lose feathers on her back. I have never observed other chickens pulling at her feathers or noticed her pulling at herself. My only assumption is that my rooster is the cause. Is this something I should be worried about? She doesn’t seem to be in pain, but we currently have low temperatures around 5-10 degrees, and I’m concerned with the exposed area.

Are 9 hens enough for a Light Brahma rooster? Or is there anyway I can help the feather growth return or help prevent this in the future?

 

[DobieLover]

My flock consists of 9 hens and 1 rooster. I noticed my Favaucana is continuing to lose feathers on her back. I have never observed other chickens pulling at her feathers or noticed her pulling at herself. My only assumption is that my rooster is the cause. Is this something I should be worried about? She doesn’t seem to be in pain, but we currently have low temperatures around 5-10 degrees, and I’m concerned with the exposed area.

Are 9 hens enough for a Light Brahma rooster? Or is there anyway I can help the feather growth return or help prevent this in the future?

In my limited experience, the blue/lavender feathers tend to be more fragile in general. She may be a favorite of his as well and the combination of the two will result in a back that looks like that.
She should still be okay in the colder temps. She should molt those feather back in this fall. You can apply a saddle if you wish but I would just monitor for now.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That is damage from overmating.

 

[hgottman2]

In my limited experience, the blue/lavender feathers tend to be more fragile in general. She may be a favorite of his as well and the combination of the two will result in a back that looks like that.
She should still be okay in the colder temps. She should molt those feather back in this fall. You can apply a saddle if you wish but I would just monitor for now.

I truly appreciate the response! She is definitely one of his favorites! The flock will be one year old on March 22nd, so they haven’t experienced a molt yet. These are my first chickens, and I still am constantly learning how to care for them. The weather should warm up next week.. hopefully that will help prevent the need for a saddle. I will look into it just in case. Thank you!!

 

[hgottman2]

That is damage from overmating.

That was my assumption as well. Thank you for confirming!

 

[ChickenMom04]

My flock consists of 9 hens and 1 rooster. I noticed my Favaucana is continuing to lose feathers on her back. I have never observed other chickens pulling at her feathers or noticed her pulling at herself. My only assumption is that my rooster is the cause. Is this something I should be worried about? She doesn’t seem to be in pain, but we currently have low temperatures around 5-10 degrees, and I’m concerned with the exposed area.

Are 9 hens enough for a Light Brahma rooster? Or is there anyway I can help the feather growth return or help prevent this in the future?

My hens also had this issue. Usually it’s bad during mating season in the spring and resolves for a while during fall/winter. My solution was buying chicken saddles. It’s basically a leather or cloth cover for their backs that prevents loss of feathers when mating. It worked really well and in about a month my hen who had lost nearly all her tail feathers had them all grown back again. Other than that, make sure the hens have a big area to roam in because it allows them to escape if they don’t want to be mated.

 

[hgottman2]

My hens also had this issue. Usually it’s bad during mating season in the spring and resolves for a while during fall/winter. My solution was buying chicken saddles. It’s basically a leather or cloth cover for their backs that prevents loss of feathers when mating. It worked really well and in about a month my hen who had lost nearly all her tail feathers had them all grown back again. Other than that, make sure the hens have a big area to roam in because it allows them to escape if they don’t want to be mat

My hens also had this issue. Usually it’s bad during mating season in the spring and resolves for a while during fall/winter. My solution was buying chicken saddles. It’s basically a leather or cloth cover for their backs that prevents loss of feathers when mating. It worked really well and in about a month my hen who had lost nearly all her tail feathers had them all grown back again. Other than that, make sure the hens have a big area to roam in because it allows them to escape if they don’t want to be mated.

Thank you so much for the advice! I just ordered a saddle. I have more than the recommended run and coop space, but I haven’t been allowing them to free range during winter due to a few close calls with the local hawks. Hopefully the saddle will be helpful until spring when I can let them out roam free again. She has always been his favorite, and she is my sweetest girl. I hate seeing her roughed up.

 

[hgottman2]

Olive was not the least bit phased by the saddle. Hopefully she will be more comfortable and on her way to healing her beautiful feathers.

I love this sweet girl

 

[hgottman2]

The saddle appears to have made things worse!! I currently have my girl in our spare bathroom enclosed in the glass shower. Please please help and tell me what to do!! I have treated the wound and provided her with food and water. This is my first big Injury. I found her hiding in the nesting box.