Not sure if juvenile molt or a problem?

[Docdetective]

Having this problem as well, with a 16 week old pullet. Tail was looking nice then in the last day all of the longer feathers are falling out, and the shafts are filled with a yellowish liquid. I don’t know if this is a problem or just getting new feathers??
She hasn't had any medications.
This is her tail 3 days ago

Tail now (3 days later)

Feather that fell out

**This isn’t the only one that fell out, I think she’s lost a total of six? Only has like 2 big ones left

 

[aart]

and the shafts are filled with a yellowish liquid.

Filled?
Meaning if you squeeze shaft liquid drips out?
Never heard of, nor seen, that one.
What does the skin on her tail look like?
Keep an eye on it, you should see pin feathers emerging with a week.

 

[CHlCKEN]

This is one of my 13 (hopefully) hens that are 13ish weeks old now. In their coop, it looks like a feather pillow was cut open. I mix the feathers in with the deep litter - industrial hemp. I figure the feathers may help keep them warm at night. So I think all have been through a juvenile molt in their last several weeks as fall approaches.

This one has me puzzled. She had a beautiful fan shaped, waterfall type tail until last week. Yes, I've been concerned that it looked like a rooster tail. Then the feathers fell out. !?!? Not quite sure what's going in. I picked her up and looked at the tail area and saw nothing wrong.
ideas? Thoughts? About 2 weeks ago we did carefully brush permethrin on their butts/tails as a treatment for mites. Saw no adverse reactions, less picking.
First two, and my avatar, are of her tail before. Last two are if her tailless rump.
A mixed breed of possibly RIR, NH Red, and who knows what. Very pale comb and wattles, so I'm not too worried about her being a him.

View attachment 2349574View attachment 2349589View attachment 2349593

It’s ok! Chicks often start going through a molt around 13-17 weeks of age, It’s normal, no worries- your coop may look a little bit like a bed-bath-and-beyond exploded

 

[3KillerBs]

It’s ok! Chicks often start going through a molt around 13-17 weeks of age, It’s normal, no worries- your coop may look a little bit like a bed-bath-and-beyond exploded

Yes. My girls are about 15 weeks right now and the pen is littered with fallen feathers.

 

[CrazyTownChick]

Yes, thanks all! She is growing back some tail feathers (very short right now) and so far they seem rounded, not pointy! an them

And double yes on the coop floor being lined and piled with feathers. That's ok, right, don't need to clean them all out? We're doing the deep litter method with industrial hemp and it's about 4-10" deep anyway....

 

[Docdetective]

Filled?
Meaning if you squeeze shaft liquid drips out?
Never heard of, nor seen, that one.
What does the skin on her tail look like?
Keep an eye on it, you should see pin feathers emerging with a week.

Yes, and if the fallen feather is cold the liquid turns into a harder substance, almost the texture of hardened fat.
The skin is somewhat gross becuase she is a cross beak and can't use her oil gland properly and it drips all over her tail, but the skin is otherwise healthy.

 

[aart]

Yes, and if the fallen feather is cold the liquid turns into a harder substance, almost the texture of hardened fat.
The skin is somewhat gross becuase she is a cross beak and can't use her oil gland properly and it drips all over her tail, but the skin is otherwise healthy.

Ah, not being able to preen properly may be why the feather shaft is full of liquid?
Or there are other problems with her anatomy overall, often happens with deformed skulls(what causes crossbeak).
Hopefully other crossbeak keepers can shed some light on the situation.

 

[Docdetective]

Ah, not being able to preen properly may be why the feather shaft is full of liquid?
Or there are other problems with her anatomy overall, often happens with deformed skulls(what causes crossbeak).
Hopefully other crossbeak keepers can shed some light on the situation.

That’s what I was thinking, but I wasn’t sure how the preening oil would get in the feather shaft, unless the skin is absorbing the oil and it is getting in the shaft

 

[aart]

That’s what I was thinking, but I wasn’t sure how the preening oil would get in the feather shaft, unless the skin is absorbing the oil and it is getting in the shaft

I'm not sure either, but sure am curious.
Might start a new thread titled "cross beak preening problem" might garner some attention from experienced cross beak keepers.