normal for a looooong molt??

[jsmith2952]

Hi all,

I have 3 hens who are just over a year old. They went through a big molt in december/jan/feb, and lost lots of feathers, stopped laying, were generally ornery, etc. Two of the three have bounced back really nicely. However, the leader of the pack, still has a lot of bald spots around her neck. I took a closer look at her today, and one patch on the side of her neck (about the size and length of my thumb), which has been there for a couple of months now is completely bald! I could have sworn there had been some downy fuzz there before, but now there are literally no feathers, and the skin is red. Also, the pin feathers around the site are black pins versus the kind of neutral coloured pins she's gotten before. I've looked at her all over--no signs of lice, bites, mites, etc. Her behaviour otherwise is unchanged. No evidence of bullying, no lethargy, etc. She's been in molt now for 5 months. She's still laying daily, but I don't know whether or not to be concerned.

Any advice?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Den in Penn]

Chances are one of the others is picking the new feathers as they appear. Try disguising the area with something like blue coat.

 

[jsmith2952]

so, even though she's the top of the pecking order, she can still get pecked?

 

[Den in Penn]

Feather plucking in some ways could be looked at mutual grooming by another hen, and so tolerated. If she isn't feeling pain when the feather is pulled. And they aren't chasing her down to do it... it can happen. That is my take, maybe some one else has a different theory.

 

[jsmith2952]

Thanks for your advice. They do groom each other all the time and it didn't even occur to me that they might be injuring the spot since she willingly allows the cleaning. The spot on her neck is so red that I even started to wonder if birds can get sunburnt, since she is the sunshine lounger of the group.

I'll give the blue coat a try. The pin feathers are all short and nubby. Is the black color I'm seeing on the pin feathers blood?

I just am hoping it's not mites and my fear is that because I'm a first time chicken owner I'm missing the signs. I did google pics of mite infestations and did a lot of reading and it doesn't seem to be the case.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[Michael Apple]

Feather plucking in some ways could be looked at mutual grooming by another hen, and so tolerated. If she isn't feeling pain when the feather is pulled. And they aren't chasing her down to do it... it can happen. That is my take, maybe some one else has a different theory.

I've witnessed the same on occasion over the years. Sometimes they stop and sometimes an obnoxious, destructive one needs a neck wringing if supplementation and reduction of stress factors doesn't stop it.

jsmith2952, you might try offering crimped oats, as a treat with their formulated feed. A good quality supplement like Avio-Multibreed powder in feed, or a good balanced vitamin-electrolyte dispersible powder, like Breeder Solution from Hake's.

Avio-Multibreed powder: http://www.jedds.com/-strse-1784/AVIO-dsh-MULTIBREED-POWDER-(Aviomed)/Detail.bok

Breeder Solution: http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies....ain_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=597

 

[jsmith2952]

Thanks for the links.

Do crimped oats provide extra protein?

 

[Michael Apple]

Thanks for the links.

Do crimped oats provide extra protein?

Yes. So do gamebird crumbles as they are usually higher in protein. I use crimped oats sparingly as additions instead of scratch grains sometimes since scratch grains put more fat than muscle on a bird.