No feathers coming in?

[Mahtowagal]

Hi,
One of my Cochin hens that I've had for about 9 years now- since she was hatched- has a bald spot that won't seem to fill in on her chest. She has the little white starts, but nothing comes of them. This has been going on for about 8 months. We live in northern Minnesota and can get down to 20 below 0 in the winter so I'm very concerned- also for sunburn now that we're enjoying summer. She is acting perfectly fine and seems to be healthy. I have them on Purina Layena now but previously they were on a higher protein feed. I also scatter Kalmbach Henhouse Reserve and black oil sunflower seeds every few days as well as feeding scrambled eggs a few times a week (just started this a couple weeks ago). She lives with just 4 other hens that have been with her for her entire life. I never see anyone pecking at her although she will sometimes peck herself....but not frequently. No roosters here. Thanks in advance!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Chest feathers missing is either from rubbing on the rooster or while in the nest boxes. Some hens will either pluck or rub off the feathers for better egg contact.

Your chickens will molt in the fall and grow in new feathers for winter. Most chickens will start to look pretty roughed up this time of year. That's pretty normal.

 

[Mahtowagal]

Chest feathers missing is either from rubbing on the rooster or while in the nest boxes. Some hens will either pluck or rub off the feathers for better egg contact.

Your chickens will molt in the fall and grow in new feathers for winter. Most chickens will start to look pretty roughed up this time of year. That's pretty normal.

She doesn’t use a nest box- they have them but they prefer laying on the shavings behind the coop door. No rooster here. They all look very full of feathers normally at this time of the year. This is the first time in 9 years I’ve seen this. I do hope they come in with next molt but since they didn’t on the last- I don’t know. Thanks tho! I appreciate feedback.

 

[Mahtowagal]

She used to use a nest box when this first started so it may have originated from rubbing the nest box but I don’t know why they didn’t grow in afterwards. No more nest box…

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Most only molt in the fall. Often lost feathers stay lost until the following fall.

 

[Mahtowagal]

Ok well we'll see if the new ones come in later. Thanks!