Pullets disappearing tail feathers…?

agold23

Songster
May 25, 2021
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My 18/19 week old Ameraucauna mix pullet’s tail feathers have seemingly been disappearing. I’m pretty sure she’s too young to molt and if she was she’d be missing feathers everywhere. They are on chick mash as our youngest chicks are 14 weeks. I have thin layer of diatomaceous earth underneath straw in the bottom of the chicken coop to prevent lice and I checked all the chickens and they seem to be all mite/lice free. The first picture is from almost 4 weeks ago, she’s with a full tail. The second picture is today, she’s just lost all of her long tail feathers. She seems to be the only one out of 6 chickens who has lost their tails like that. She is otherwise same the active, curious hen as she was when we brought her home a month and a half ago. I’m curious as to what could be causing it! If anyone has ever gone through anything like this before let me know!
 

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If she'll allow you to handle her (or maybe have someone else help) can you pick her up and part the feathers over the tail region and describe what you see as far as skin, pin feathers, etc. Or snap a photo of what's there? Curious if it's just a weird molt or maybe feather picking or something else?
 
I’m having the same issue with my lavender Orpington. She’s 12 weeks old and 2 weeks ago had huge tail feathers and now none. I don’t see her being picked on by others and she seems to be eating, drinking, pooping normally. She’s on chick/grower feed. Last picture is 2 weeks ago and the next ones are from today. Does this seem normal?
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Is there any blood? If so than you should isolate the bird and treat her. If not then it's probably the chickens establishing their pecking order. We have a hen that pecks off and eats the feathers of other hens. Or maybe there's just a bully in the coop. If there's no other symptoms she should be good.
 
Omg 😂 My lav had NO tail feathers or even a discernible tail for up until she started laying at 24 weeks! Now she’s barely got one 😂
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Here’s her tail at 12/14 weeks
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And here she is now with her “tail” Lol. Definitely a big difference from before but it’s still nothing compared to my EE’s tail now who grew back!
 
Haha this is from weeks ago, her tails all grown in! Must’ve been a weird molt and she and my lav orpington are 3rd in command!
 

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