Molting? Disease?

[nwoods01]

I have quite a few chickens that have been losing feathers to the point where they're almost bald. It started with one chicken and shortly after a few other chickens started appearing the same way. And we've had two chickens that that's happened to die. Is this molting? Is it some sort of disease? What is it? Please help!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

I don't think that is molting! I think you have tons of lice in your flock!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Sounds like mites/lice. I agree with MKK farms. Mites can kill chickens.

Dust with poultry dust from feed store and spray coops with permethrin every 7 days until bugs gone to kill the hatching eggs. I use a tied off sock to put the dust in. Get under the wings and around the vent area too.

There is also a depluming mite. There is also a red mite that just lives in the coop and you would never know it was there because it feeds at night. There are mites that live on the chickens too (like the Northern Fowl Mite).

They are going to need a lot of protein to recover. I recommend switching them to something like Flock Raiser or unmedicated chick starter, which should be around 20% protein until they regrow their feathers. Layer feed is usually 16% protein. I would stop all scratch for now. You would need to provide oyster shells on the side for your layers in order to feed Flock Raiser or chick starter as they don't have enough calcium for layers.

 

[RhodeRunner]

Mites and lice are a possibility. Have you noticed any blood on any of the hens, it is possible they are feather pecking?