My hen never grew new feathers after molt?

[ohnoicantfly]

Hi, I bought 8 hens last July to increase our egg supply. They were molting at the time and looked pretty scraggly, but all the girls' feathers eventually grew back. All but one. Her feathers never grew back.
She got a really bad eye infection a few weeks after we bought her and it may have left permanent damage. Would that have something to do with her not growing back her feathers?? The feather problem has only gotten worse over the winter. It seems as if she grows new feathers, but then others fall out so she's never maintaining a good amount of feathers. I'm hoping that now because it's spring, she'll grow her feathers back along with everyone else after their molt, but I don't think so. She also stopped laying sometime in the late fall/early winter and hasn't laid since, as far as I know. What's wrong with her and what can I do to help her get her nice feathers back? Thanks.

I can also include pictures later if anyone needs

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hi! Can you post pictures? What are you feeding them? Where is she on the pecking order?

 

[ohnoicantfly]

Hi! Can you post pictures? What are you feeding them? Where is she on the pecking order?

I'm feeding them a 21% protein layer crumble. I don't know what her place is in the pecking order exactly, but I don't think she is getting bullied. The flock is quite harmonious at the moment

 

[ohnoicantfly]

Sorry, the food is 17%.

 

[SmiYa0126]

I would boost her protein content, her skin looks pretty dry as well, and her bottom is inflamed. The skin shouldn't be red there. Does she have a cheesy smell? Like Cheetos?

Does she like tuna? Cooked beef or chicken? Plain yogurt with live cultures is also good for them.

 

[MountainWoman73]

I had this happen to my EE named Peach. Peach looked BAD for about a year. She had bald patches and thin patches that never grew back. She didn't have any mites or diseases I know of, and she didn't seem to be picked on by the other birds. I just had to wait about a year for her to go through a molt cycle again. Now she has all her feathers back and is one of my prettiest fluffiest hens. I have no explanation for this.

 

[ohnoicantfly]

I would boost her protein content, her skin looks pretty dry as well, and her bottom is inflamed. The skin shouldn't be red there. Does she have a cheesy smell? Like Cheetos?

Does she like tuna? Cooked beef or chicken? Plain yogurt with live cultures is also good for them.

There's no smell that I've noticed, but I'll pay attention from now on. I think I could get her to eat tuna. What portions should I give it to her in?

 

[ohnoicantfly]

I'm wondering If somehow the stress of moving her from one coop to another while she was molting caused a long molt. Can something like that happen?

 

[SmiYa0126]

There's no smell that I've noticed, but I'll pay attention from now on. I think I could get her to eat tuna. What portions should I give it to her in?

See how much she'll eat in a sitting. She'll stop when she's had enough.

 

[SmiYa0126]

I'm wondering If somehow the stress of moving her from one coop to another while she was molting caused a long molt. Can something like that happen?

Hmm, it would have stressed her for a little while but not this long.