PULLET LOSING FEATHERS AROUND BELLY

[rosyposyosy]

im not that worried about her - how important can feathers be? but now when she lays, there are lots of her feathers in the nesting box. i picked her up to day, and she is missing lots of feathers. is this molt? or is she staying on the nest too long? what could it be?

update: she is not broody, still no pin feathers, but continues to lose feathers. what could this be from?

 

[wren]

Mites maybe?

 

[silkiechicken]

I would say it is molt this time of year. My hens look like pin cushions and my rooster looks like a purple whimp after some blue kote on his now bald neck!

 

[rosyposyosy]

during molt dont they have pin feathers? she doesnt have any... just naked skin. oh! i hope it isnt mites!! she dust bathes enough... haha. i just looked out the window, shes doing it right now

 

[silkiechicken]

hmmm... just naked skin? I'd pick her up and check for mites then if that's the case. Or feather pickers, or roosters!

 

[speckledhen]

Ive had a couple of hens, one in particular, who've had a bare neck just below the base of the skull for awhile now. She was also bare-bottomed. I'm figuring she's a slow molter. She was dusted for pests more than once as a precaution, but I've seen nothing on her or anyone else here. This time of year, if you've dusted for pests and they're just bare in spots, it's probably molting.

 

[rosyposyosy]

no roosters here. chickens arent even allowed here (yet i got these chickens from the feedstore 3 blocks from my house!)i picked her up (i think she stepped in poo she smelled icky lol)and couldnt find any mites. shes been laying around a lot more too, rather that getting up and scrounging around.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Does she scream like you're Frank Purdue?
She might be trying to go broody...that's one of the things that they do, pull out their feathers.

 

[rosyposyosy]

she is a cochin. she does scream. lately she only gets off the nest when i take her off. and then she goes nuts. that sounds like what it is. haha. if she goes broody can i stick a 9 week old chick under her? lol

 

[thndrdancr]

Rosy, bout the nine week chick.

I may be feeling your pain if mine is doin the same.

Jill