pecked/picked feathers....(pic added)

[danamillette]

When feathers get pecked/picked off of a hens back, they do not grow back until they molt?

 

[M@M@2four]

You know....I dunno...bump!

 

[MayberrySaint]

no...my hens that went broody, grew back their feathers when away from the roo.

 

[banter]

My hens did not grow them back until late August their molt. It was ugly! I had a chicken saddle on the worst one. The boys have left them alone and they look great. Seems like the understand the girls need feathers for the winter! They still are not laying though!

 

[Anne]

If a feather is actually pulled out by the root, it can grow back without a full molt. If the feather is simply damaged, it will not be replaced by a new feather until molt.

 

[danamillette]

ok, I ask because a adopted a great bunch of girls. The three older ones I believe are about 1 year and 4 months. 2 had bare patches on their back from a rooster.( I don not have any roosters. They layed for about the first week then quit. Pretty sure due to molting. Well, Lilly an Austrolorpe(sp) has had quite a busy week growing in new purple quills. I am wondering if this means she is almost thru her molt?
Thanks as always!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

When Pooh got stitched back up (after a run-in with my dogs) the vet plucked an area about the size of your palm. They have all grown right back in and started to do so fairly quickly. She hasn't done a hard molt yet.
So I guess, yes they can?
Do you have any pictures? We love pics!

 

[danamillette]

OK, giving the picture thing a try. Here is the girl I am wondering about. Do you think she quit laying because she is growing all these new feathers on her head and her back?

 

[danamillette]

test

 

[Chicabee19]

Good pic! She has such pretty purples and blues!

There could be a myriad reasons she's not laying... but I don't think regrowing picked feathers is one of them. Usually it's a full molt that stops egg production.

Hopefully someone with more experience will come along and help!