Partially bare feather shafts after molt - what's up??

[gruner23]

My two year old hen Shiny Diamond's feathers never recovered after her last molt, probably six months ago. Most of her feathers have partially bare shafts.

She is not being pecked by her four sisters - she's at the top of the pecking order. She doesn't show any signs of mites or lice. She eats a good diet - I feed them organic layer pellets and they have a lot of space to forage for greens and bugs. She takes all the dust baths she could want.
She seems basically healthy otherwise, but hasn't laid eggs in a long time (close to a year) and spends more time lying down than I think a totally healthy hen should.
Could she be nibbling on her feathers to make them look this way?
Is it just a bad molt or bad recovery from molt?
My other hens have the loveliest feathers you could hope for - full, silky, gorgeous - like Shiny Diamond's feathers used to be! I would really like to help her out before winter. Any suggestions?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would try a higher protein feed. Often layer doesn't have enough protein to make feathers.

 

[Athena2344]

Get a higher protein feed and do a 1:1 ratio of layer to higher protein, you'll get you eggs and healthy happy birds that way.

 

[coach723]

Where are you located, in general? 6 months ago was March, not a common molting time of year, though not unheard of, usually molt will happen in late summer through fall or even into winter, as the hours of daylight decrease. Exceptions do happen though. I'm wondering if she actually didn't molt then, just had feather loss for another reason, and she just hasn't molted yet and replaced them. I would do as previously suggested and switch to a higher protein feed, if you are feeding a layer feed I would switch to a flock raiser or grower in the 18 - 20% protein range, and make sure you have oyster shell available in a separate feeder all the time for those that need the calcium. Another reason feathers can get like that is from rubbing on fencing, doorways, perches, etc. so watching behaviors for a few days may identify something like that. When feathers get very worn they can look like that until they do molt.
http://www.henclass.com/reading-feathers-what-plumage-can-tell-us/

 

[Birds of a Feather]

Feather mites?

 

[gruner23]

We're in the Bay Area, so mild weather all year round and molting can be unpredictable. I'll definitely try the higher protein feed.
no mites....I've checked all the girls and saw nothing.....
thanks for all the advice!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She seems basically healthy otherwise, but hasn't laid eggs in a long time (close to a year) and spends more time lying down than I think a totally healthy hen should.
Could she be nibbling on her feathers to make them look this way?

Did you happen to de-worm her while she was molting?

What does her skin look like? The feathers look to be stripped in places to me, can you take a few and have your vet look at them? There is a mite called "Depluming" or "Feather Mite" that cannot be seen with the naked eye. These mites live in the feather shaft and feed on blood and feather material/debris. If she is preening a lot or seems to be picking at herself, then you will want to investigate that further.

You mention she has not laid eggs close to a year. She is 2 years old. The feather condition could also be hormonal if she has some type of reproductive disorder. Feel her abdomen, do you notice any bloat?

 

[kimnrodney]

My two year old hen Shiny Diamond's feathers never recovered after her last molt, probably six months ago. Most of her feathers have partially bare shafts.
View attachment 1540979 View attachment 1540980 View attachment 1540982 View attachment 1540983
She is not being pecked by her four sisters - she's at the top of the pecking order. She doesn't show any signs of mites or lice. She eats a good diet - I feed them organic layer pellets and they have a lot of space to forage for greens and bugs. She takes all the dust baths she could want.
She seems basically healthy otherwise, but hasn't laid eggs in a long time (close to a year) and spends more time lying down than I think a totally healthy hen should.
Could she be nibbling on her feathers to make them look this way?
Is it just a bad molt or bad recovery from molt?
My other hens have the loveliest feathers you could hope for - full, silky, gorgeous - like Shiny Diamond's feathers used to be! I would really like to help her out before winter. Any suggestions?

This post is pretty old, but I have the exact same problem, exact same chicken. Curious what the outcome was for her. Our scenarios are literally exactly the same . Thank you if you happen to see this!!