My hen's feathers aren't growing back?

[Larouxbestfan]

Hey there!
So I have a silkie hen named Beretta. For months now, she's had a bare back. It's been getting progressively worse since the summer.
She randomly started losing feathers on her back this summer and now it's like it is today. I always thought that this happened because other hens were picking on her (which some probably are at night), but none of her feathers have grown back on this bald patch since she lost them. Like, at all. It looks like her feathers just won't even grow back. It's also slowly been getting worse and is happening on her sides and parts of her wings now, too. None of my other chickens have this problem. She doesn't act differently from anyone else. She eats and drinks fine. She enjoys hanging out with everyone else during the day.
Does anyone have any idea as to why this is happening?
I'm really concerned that she might be sick or that I'm not taking proper care of my chickens.

 

[PirateGirl]

Do you have a rooster?

Does she act sick at all in any way? Underweight?

It's possible the feathers won't grow back until normal molt time of year since they were lost/plucked at a random time of year and did not just fall out at the appropriate time naturally with molt.

 

[Larouxbestfan]

Do you have a rooster?

Does she act sick at all in any way? Underweight?

It's possible the feathers won't grow back until normal molt time of year since they were lost/plucked at a random time of year and did not just fall out at the appropriate time naturally with molt.

yeah we have roosters, and she hasn't been acting sick at all. I'm not sure if she's underweight to be honest.

 

[PirateGirl]

It's possible she is the rooster's favorite. Maybe a chicken saddle would help her? It certainly couldn't hurt to try it if there are no signs of mites/lice/etc. or any other illness.

 

[Larouxbestfan]

It's possible she is the rooster's favorite. Maybe a chicken saddle would help her? It certainly couldn't hurt to try it if there are no signs of mites/lice/etc. or any other illness.

I think Im going to try that! I actually crocheted a sweater for her once but everyone else freaked out and was terrified of it. So I think I might try making a white chicken saddle. Thank you!

 

[PirateGirl]

Whether it's the rooster or not, it might give her some time to regrow some feathers! I agree, if it's white like she is it will hopefully draw less attention.

 

[LoveDatChickenLife]

Couldn’t it be bugs? I heard some types eat feathers. Just trying to help!

 

[Eggcessive]

I have used a blaze orange hen saddle before, and although the chickens may freak out at first, they quickly ignore it. Try putting it on at night while they are roosting. The first year I had chickens, the young cockerel caused barebacks on several pullets. Their feathers did not come back in until after the first molt around 18 months old.
You may also want to look for lice, mites, or look up feather mites.

 

[rihagirl]

Hey there!
So I have a silkie hen named Beretta. For months now, she's had a bare back. It's been getting progressively worse since the summer.
She randomly started losing feathers on her back this summer and now it's like it is today. I always thought that this happened because other hens were picking on her (which some probably are at night), but none of her feathers have grown back on this bald patch since she lost them. Like, at all. It looks like her feathers just won't even grow back. It's also slowly been getting worse and is happening on her sides and parts of her wings now, too. None of my other chickens have this problem. She doesn't act differently from anyone else. She eats and drinks fine. She enjoys hanging out with everyone else during the day.
Does anyone have any idea as to why this is happening?
I'm really concerned that she might be sick or that I'm not taking proper care of my chickens.View attachment 1322763 View attachment 1322764 View attachment 1322765 View attachment 1322767

 

[rihagirl]

I have a hen also who has a bare back but also her head is bald. A few other hens have feathers that haven’t grown back but just one is bald too and her back is really bare. I had an aggressive male duck that I saw yank the hens off their perches and swing them around. He now has a home with other ducks. I hope the feathers will grow back after next molt.