Molting or disease or parasites

[KOelofsen]

How many birds do you have and what size is the space you have them in?

What exactly are you feeding and do you have a heat lamp on them?

They are currently in a brooder of around 4 feet by 8 feet. And about 1.5 feet high. There is a 80 Watt heat lamp on.

I feed them Natures Best Organic chick starter / growing feed from Tractor supply.

I also add purina electrolyte to their water. I have 8 chicks all around the same size

 

[Kiki]

They are currently in a brooder of around 4 feet by 8 feet. And about 1.5 feet high. There is a 80 Watt heat lamp on.

I feed them Natures Best Organic chick starter / growing feed from Tractor supply.

I also add purina electrolyte to their water. I have 8 chicks all around the same size

Can you put a thermometer under the heat lamp and tell us how hot it in in there?

Can you take a picture of the brooder?

 

[KOelofsen]

Hello Everyone. So an update on the Cockerel. First off. Yes it is a he.

Then for his feather plucking. Yes I caught him plucking his own feathers. The VET said there are two possibilities.

1. It could be stress related and he is annoyed.
2. He is trying to build a nest but the VET called it brooding. She actually said something like broody.

Now here is the catch. He is suppose to be to young to pull any stunts like this. When I bought them they where suppose to be a couple of day old. The VET recons with his size and weight his is much older. So the pressure is on to move them all in to the coop as soon as possible.

Thank you all for your feedback and guidance.

 

[BastyPutt]

Do you think she could have burned them off with the heat lamp? I have seen that before, but that would be a really intense example of it.

Never considered this before, but certainly possible.

 

[BastyPutt]

Hello Everyone. So an update on the Cockerel. First off. Yes it is a he.

Then for his feather plucking. Yes I caught him plucking his own feathers. The VET said there are two possibilities.

1. It could be stress related and he is annoyed.
2. He is trying to build a nest but the VET called it brooding. She actually said something like broody.

Now here is the catch. He is suppose to be to young to pull any stunts like this. When I bought them they where suppose to be a couple of day old. The VET recons with his size and weight his is much older. So the pressure is on to move them all in to the coop as soon as possible.

Thank you all for your feedback and guidance.

Only a hen would become broody. Im sure a pullet can, but unlikely considering she isn't fully developed and hasn't laid an egg. In this case, it is neither because he is a he

The brooder seems like a decent enough size, but they appear to be fully feathered and it may be too small, or they may be too hot since they no longer need the lamp.

Under normal circumstances, a chicken is going to eat feathers because they are stressed (as the vet said) or because they are deficient and trying to supplement their nutritional needs. In this case, I'd imagine it is the former.

If you aren't able to fully move them outside, a pen in some grass or anything at all to get atleast him and a companion out there in some fresh air, eating bugs will probably do him wonders.

Side note - not great at age, but pictured he appears to be about 4 or 5 weeks old. Do you have pics of the other birds? It sounds like you may have been misled a bit and have atleast one cockerel in there. We can take a look at the rest if you'd like.

 

[Saveria]

Never considered this before, but certainly possible.

It happened to another guy on here, otherwise I never would have thought of it either.

 

[Kiki]

Stress related from it being too hot in too small of a space is very likely.

 

[BastyPutt]

It happened to another guy on here, otherwise I never would have thought of it either.

You always have that one chick in the batch who full sunbathes all day longer under the heat. That will be the one

 

[rosemarythyme]

I would've guessed other birds picking him clean, or parasites.

Only a hen would become broody. Im sure a pullet can, but unlikely considering she isn't fully developed and hasn't laid an egg. In this case, it is neither because he is a he

Roosters can brood but this guy is way too young. Also I've never heard of them plucking their entire bodies bald over it.

 

[KOelofsen]

Hello Everyone.
Just letting everyone know that the Cockerel is doing well. I can see new feathers growing. I moved them to a day time run and move them into the coop during the night. So they have a lot more room to move.

I also added a Probiotic to there water with the electrolyte. I will great a phot album soon and share it here for your review.