Protein for chickens with severe feather loss?

[BabyGotQuack]

I have started volunteering at a farm that is near me, and they recently acquired some chickens that were over crowded and have very severe feather loss. There are seven, and they are in similar condition to this:
View attachment 2411048
(not my pic, i couldn't get one)
The worst of them are a GL wyandotte and a buff brahma.
I am allowed to bring them treats and am planning to bring them a mix of scrambled egg, mealworms, and dry cat food tomorrow. Is this a good mix idea? Will it actually help?

Did adding protein such as the scrambled eggs and meal worms help these chickens? Or did you find that it was something else?

 

[black_cat]

Did adding protein such as the scrambled eggs and meal worms help these chickens? Or did you find that it was something else?

Unfortunately, I couldn't go often enough to make a real impact, especially because their food is not the best. However, if you're having your issue with pet chickens and can continue it consistently and daily, I'm pretty confident that it would help.

 

[BabyGotQuack]

Unfortunately, I couldn't go often enough to make a real impact, especially because their food is not the best. However, if you're having your issue with pet chickens and can continue it consistently and daily, I'm pretty confident that it would help.

Great thanks! I have something goin on with my chickens, some people on here were thinking mites but I just don’t think that’s it. I’ve been giving them meal worms only for a few days and already feel like it’s helping but only time will tell! I was just curious because my chickens look similar to the picture you had posted

 

[black_cat]

Great thanks! I have something goin on with my chickens, some people on here were thinking mites but I just don’t think that’s it. I’ve been giving them meal worms only for a few days and already feel like it’s helping but only time will tell! I was just curious because my chickens look similar to the picture you had posted

They may be molting, because it's fall? (If they're losing feathers)

 

[BabyGotQuack]

They may be molting, because it's fall? (If they're losing feathers)

It started a couple months ago, that’s why I didn’t think it was molting

 

[black_cat]

It started a couple months ago, that’s why I didn’t think it was molting

Ah, ok.
If you don't want to worry about unbalancing your diet, you could switch them onto a grower food (which has a higher protein content) and offer oyster shell on the side.

 

[BabyGotQuack]

Ah, ok.
If you don't want to worry about unbalancing your diet, you could switch them onto a grower food (which has a higher protein content) and offer oyster shell on the side.

That’s what I was thinking was switching to grower for a while, but thanks for the oyster shell idea, I’m gonna try that too!

 

[black_cat]

That’s what I was thinking was switching to grower for a while, but thanks for the oyster shell idea, I’m gonna try that too!

The oyster shell doesn't do anything about protein, but it's good when you put laying hens on non layer food to make sure that hens are getting enough calcium to make healthy egg shells.

It NEVER hurts to check for mites. I had a glaringly obvious infestation in my coop (it was sO gross) but I didn't notice because I wasn't looking for it. I could have prevented it getting half as bad if I had checked.

 

[BabyGotQuack]

The oyster shell doesn't do anything about protein, but it's good when you put laying hens on non layer food to make sure that hens are getting enough calcium to make healthy egg shells.

It NEVER hurts to check for mites. I had a glaringly obvious infestation in my coop (it was sO gross) but I didn't notice because I wasn't looking for it. I could have prevented it getting half as bad if I had checked.

I’ve looked several times and haven’t seen anything that’s why I really don’t think it’s mites

 

[21hens-incharge]

I’ve looked several times and haven’t seen anything that’s why I really don’t think it’s mites

Have you run a white paper towel along the underside of the roost about an hour after dark?

Mites that have not fed on the birds yet will be tiny grey smears and full mites will be red smears. The mites are unbelievably tiny...much smaller than a pin head.