Our best girl has gone bald on her chest

[TookTook]

Hopefully this isn't too bad and fingers crossed, someone can give us some peace of mind. Our lovely natured light sussex has lost most of the feathers on her chest. They're strewn across all parts of our back yard.

I've checked for mites and I can't see anything but the exposed flesh (which looks slightly inflamed also) is giving off a slightly rank odour.

She has also stopped laying which is very unlike her.

We've made no change to our chooks' diet and the only seasonal factor could be that we've recently had a spell of excessively hot days (ie > 40 degrees celcius/ 100 farenheit).

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

 

[birdlover]

Well, it sounds like she may be molting. Is she losing them anywhere else? Also, when hens go broody, they pluck the feathers from their chest to get the eggs next to their warm skin. Is she broody, by any chance? If she has a skin condition (rank odor, inflamation), I don't know what to tell you but, hopefully, somebody will tell you how best to deal with that. If it were me, I'd call the feed store or an avian vet to get a recommendation. I'm thinking something with an antibiotic in it like neosporin??

Oh! And welcome to BYC!!!

 

[TookTook]

Thanks BL (if I could be so informal). It's possible she's just molting. This is her first summer as an adult (and conicidentally our first summer as chook owners) so we may be getting alarmed about nothing.

She's not broody at the moment but neither is she laying and overall she just doesn't seem herself (doesn't want to be picked up or patted).

It is the colour and smell of the bare skin that's the bigger concern. Guess we'll keep an eye on her (might catch her in the act of plucking) and if no improvement will do as you suggest and get her to the bird doctor.

Thanks again.