Need Help Please...

[ChickensofBBN]

Recently I posted about losing one of our new buff orpingtons, she has been great and the all of a sudden became lethargic and within a day died. Now we have another buff who has started a neck molt and it has not been cold in Kentucky but normal temps of 40-50 during day and upper 20 to low 30 at night. She is about 9 1/2 months old and today has been acting like the other orpington we lost so we brought her in the garage and put her in the brooding pen with a heat lamp thinking with the loss of feathers and the cold has been uable to keep herself warm and causing this. However we are first time chicken keepers and this is our first winter and don't know what to do we have an austrolorp that is starting to molt but shows no signs of this and would we need to bring her in and keep her warm until she finishes her molt. Any ideas of what could be happening is greatly appreciated.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

At 9 months old, it may not be a molt. Have you treated for mites? Are combs red and free of scabs? Check legs also for signs of scabing.

 

[Eggcessive]

What is your coop like in size? Nine month old pullets should not be molting. They may be getting feather picked or as Terrabella birds said, there could be mites or lice. I would spend some time looking for signs of parasites, and watching their behavior. Some birds with too little room or too little protein in the diet will peck each other. Do they free range?

 

[ChickensofBBN]

We have checked for mites and have not found any and yes there some of there combs are a healthy red color and these are a pale red and have one or two small scabs on there combs.

 

[ChickensofBBN]

I have 8 hens and 1 rooster in our coop that is 4x6 and 6ft tall and the attached run is 7x14 and we let them out in the yard to free range on the weekend and in the evenings when we are home.