Moulting with Red Comb?

[RidgeCreekFarm]

This fall/ winter has been our girls first moult; and I thought they were all finally done (they did it 1 or 2 at a time). However, I was looking over them today and noticed the flock queen is looking kind of ratty and when I caught her I discovered some bare patches on her underside and under her tail feathers. It looks like a moult to me, but her comb is still bright red. Do combs always go pale during moult, or can it stay red sometimes? The weather has been swinging wildly here so don’t know if maybe that is a factor. Just to be safe, I’ll also be checking for mites tonight, but wanted some other opinions!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Feathers missing from the underside may be from her wearing them off while in the nestboxes or on the roosts. Also sometimes birds get plucked by other birds in those areas so I would do some observing to see if you see anything like that going on.

 

[RidgeCreekFarm]

Feathers missing from the underside may be from her wearing them off while in the nestboxes or on the roosts. Also sometimes birds get plucked by other birds in those areas so I would do some observing to see if you see anything like that going on.

Thanks! I went back out there and she also seems to be losing some neck feathers. I also watched them a bit- but pretty sure she isn’t being picked on, she’s top hen and doesn’t take any guff, so to speak, LOL!
The other 10 all had their combs go pale when they moulted but her’s is still bright red. Is that a thing?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sometimes in the spring hens can go through a partial molt that usually involves the head and chest mostly. Hens don't usually go out of production totally and will maintain their bright red combs, so perhaps that's what you are seeing.

I did experience a lot of odd molts this past year, so anything is possible with chickens.

 

[RidgeCreekFarm]

Sometimes in the spring hens can go through a partial molt that usually involves the head and chest mostly. Hens don't usually go out of production totally and will maintain their bright red combs, so perhaps that's what you are seeing.

I did experience a lot of odd molts this past year, so anything is possible with chickens.

Okay! Thanks! The weather here in Michigan can’t decide if it’s spring or winter- yesterday was warm and muddy, today we got 6”+ of snow! . Maybe that threw her off ! And I’m definitely learning that anything is possible with chickens, !

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I had 2 hens do the full body molt at the end of January. It was crazy. Thankfully it's been a more mild winter here too in Wisconsin.

 

[aart]

The weather here in Michigan can’t decide if it’s spring or winter- yesterday was warm and muddy, today we got 6”+ of snow!

About the same here but y'all got it worse than we did.
She may not be molting yet.
If you don't see pin feathers, she's probably not molting.
Is she still laying?

Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

 

[RidgeCreekFarm]

About the same here but y'all got it worse than we did.
She may not be molting yet.
If you don't see pin feathers, she's probably not molting.
Is she still laying?

Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

I went out last night and got a better look- she’s very skittish and kicked like crazy, but it’s not as large of an area as I had thought and near as I could tell given her panic and squirming it looks like pins are starting to come in. Also just picking her up a couple feathers dropped off her. Given the state of her feathers up close, I’m not thinking she ever moulted back when the others did, and she’s just now getting to it. With our setup I can’t tell if she in particular is still laying.

While I was out there last night, I checked the roost and a couple others for injuries/mites and all was good, and before they had gone in for the night, (given the time of year) I drowned any crevices on the roosts with Manna Pro’s Poultry Protector to be extra safe!

 

[aart]

I went out last night and got a better look- she’s very skittish and kicked like crazy,

Do you handle your birds regularly?
It's good to do so they, and you, get used to it.
Just a quick pick up off the roost and put back down.
Makes it easier to examine them when it's needed.

Given the state of her feathers up close, I’m not thinking she ever moulted back when the others did, and she’s just now getting to it. With our setup I can’t tell if she in particular is still laying.

Some do molt later... and slower.
Time will tell.
You could check her pelvic points.

While I was out there last night, I checked the roost and a couple others for injuries/mites and all was good, and before they had gone in for the night, (given the time of year) I drowned any crevices on the roosts with Manna Pro’s Poultry Protector to be extra safe!

IMO, this is not really much more than 'snake oil'.
It might help deter bugs, but better to use nothing unless you know they are an issue,
then use something that will actually kill them.

 

[RidgeCreekFarm]

Yes, they are handled regularly (since day 1) and I can get 9 out of 11 pretty easy- but this one and one of the Brahmas totally panic whenever they are handled- frantic struggling and gasping for breath; even in the dead of night off the roost- not fun.

Egg laying seems to be down by one egg.

Poultry Protector is just something I spray as a preventative every time I clean the coop- I have Permathryn on hand for if I actually see evidence of bugs.