- Apr 21, 2010
- 3
- 0
- 7
Well first off, howdy everyone! I've been a lurker for a while but this is my first post.
The wife & I bought our first (as adults) chickens back in January and all has been well. We've really enjoyed watching and listening to them grow in our backyard and anxiously await our first eggs. As we are in the city and renting, we have to keep the number of our chickens to just a handful; we currently have 5 hens and 1 rooster. The rooster will have to go being in the city, but we have a problem with one of our hens. About 3-4 weeks ago, she started to molt, at least that is what we thought was happening to her. She molted everywhere except for a spot on her back, and right behind it.
As you can see in the pics, she is bare right down to the skin in a small patch, and the feathers behind the bald patch look like "baby feathers" if you will, and appear to be just on the verge of falling out. However, they have been "almost falling out" for over two weeks now, and are still hanging in there. A couple of the other chickens have pecked at the bald spot a time or two, but it is not a constant or on-going occurrence. There does not appear to be any mites or parasites present either.
What gives? First, anyone have an idea on the bald spot? Second, should I assist those feathers which are barley hanging in there to finally "fall"? I've never had any chickens before, and my wife has not had any since she was a young child long ago.
The wife & I bought our first (as adults) chickens back in January and all has been well. We've really enjoyed watching and listening to them grow in our backyard and anxiously await our first eggs. As we are in the city and renting, we have to keep the number of our chickens to just a handful; we currently have 5 hens and 1 rooster. The rooster will have to go being in the city, but we have a problem with one of our hens. About 3-4 weeks ago, she started to molt, at least that is what we thought was happening to her. She molted everywhere except for a spot on her back, and right behind it.
As you can see in the pics, she is bare right down to the skin in a small patch, and the feathers behind the bald patch look like "baby feathers" if you will, and appear to be just on the verge of falling out. However, they have been "almost falling out" for over two weeks now, and are still hanging in there. A couple of the other chickens have pecked at the bald spot a time or two, but it is not a constant or on-going occurrence. There does not appear to be any mites or parasites present either.
What gives? First, anyone have an idea on the bald spot? Second, should I assist those feathers which are barley hanging in there to finally "fall"? I've never had any chickens before, and my wife has not had any since she was a young child long ago.
