Moulting query.

[Cleotastic]

Hello!

I bought two birds at the weekend, one of which was an Ayam Cemani.

She was one of only three left, all of whom had red bits on their combs and pink skin, so they obviously AREN'T proper Ayam Cemani, but I felt sad for them. (Let's face it, if people were only tolerated if they were perfect, I would've been discarded long ago.)

Anyway, I noticed that she had seizable bald patches. 2"-4" diameter. On her back in front of her tail, the side of her neck and under her wings. I was told that she was having a moult, which has been triggered by the warm weather.

This new hen, Steerpike, (who is lovely, incidentally; pretty, clever, and nobody's fool), is allegedly at point of lay.

Is it usual for a hen to moult so early in life? None of my others have even shown the slightest sign of moulting yet, all are slightly older, and have been in warmer conditions than the new ones, who were in a heavily shaded wooded area.

I can't see any new feathers poking through.

Have I been had by a breeder wanting rid of a manky hen no one else would want?

Thanks so much for any advice.

Xxx

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds more like rooster wearing from mating, photos would help.

 

[Cleotastic]

Oh no, really?

She WAS in with a rooster.

That makes sense, actually. She doesn't look sore, and she's too feisty for anyone to pick on.

Is it the done thing to put a rooster in with sexually immature hens? Seems a bit raw, if you ask me. She's very small and has no comb, to speak of. And she's had her feathers all rogered off by some randy rooster with only two tiny pullets to focus all his 'attentions' on?

Hmm. I'm already having an 'anti-men' day!

Thanks so much for your help. I feel better that she's not ill or bullied by my other girls.

xxxxx

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

A picture would help, I'm just guessing. It is possible that the others were pulling out her feathers if they were crowded. Young birds do go through mini molts but you usually can't tell. A mating rooster will grab onto the neck feathers, grasp a hens wings with his feet and they often break and pull out feathers. If there are no obvious peck wounds it could have been the rooster. Sometimes young roosters pull out feathers trying to get the hens to cooperate, and they also start breeding sometimes before the pullets are ready.

 

[Cleotastic]

I do have one feather-pecker. She does it to every bird as they come near her, then eats the feathers. But not my dominant bird, and not Steerpike (bald-patch Ayam Cemani). They're both way too feisty! I've tried increasing their protein, and I've doubled their space. It's just an unfortunate habit she has, sadly.

No, your rooster idea makes perfect sense.

Poor little girl. At least I know she'll feather-up again eventually.

You're a star for answering me. Thank you.

Cleo.
xxxx

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Your welcome.