No Feathers? Help

[yankeedoodle300]

My Buff Orp. girls seem to be molting, but one of them has HUGE amount of feathers missing on her neck, wing and tail/vent.
we have seen BIG black cats around it, and im worried. anyone have any advice on how to heal her, and how to fix
the feather missing-ness. the other girls are pretty as hens can be, but this one is So ugly. i'll post pics when i can.

 

[yankeedoodle300]

oh yeah, they dont free range

 

[yankeedoodle300]

Please Help!

 

[nurse_turtle]

I have heard that feather mites hang out around those areas.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Sometimes fowl moult really fast, like overnight fast, and sometimes it`s so slow that you can hardly tell it. They even seem to change methods from year to year. Sometimes they even moult in the dead of winter. Strange how that happens, but it does. If they seem healthy otherwise, just increase their protein intake a little. Three to four morsels of cheap dry catfood per bird, twice a week should help. Don`t overdo the protein........Pop

 

[yankeedoodle300]

Quote:
they have been dewormed, but i don't think its a mite because the others would have it too, because they sleep huddled together since its cold here( 60-35 degrees ) . and if they were molting would it not be everywhere? im confused

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

If you have checked her for mites and lice and she has none, then it is just a molt. Like Pop said, sometimes it can come on fast, or in odd places first. i've had hens molt from the head down, or one side, or all the tail feathers fall out. And it can be just one hen in your pen that is molting. i wouldn't worry, but maybe post pictures for clarity.

BTW - You can have a case where just one hen has a serious mite infection. Generally if one has them, all in the pen will have them, but to varying degrees. i've found that some chickens are just more susceptible and will end up with more mites than her pen mates.

 

[yankeedoodle300]

I will check for mites, and try to post a pic... but what about the big cat?

 

[yankeedoodle300]

I will TRY to post a pic. I "mite" not Do it.

( Pun intended )

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Quote:
If they don't free range, how would the cat get to her?