Really long molt - w/ pics

[mame1616]

Hi - I have what is normally a fabulous Partridge Cochin Hen (about 2 yrs old) that started a molt back in April - a bad, escaped-from-the-plucker one. She hasn't grown anything since then. It's also different from any molting pattern I've seen before. I also have other girls who had gotten some feathers pecked off their heads, but nothing is growing back at all, and I haven't observed any more pecking - just no one is growing any feathers anywhere! I wormed them, checked for lice, cleaned the coop and run, sprayed them with Blu-Kote - nothing works. Can anyone help?

 

[miss_thenorth]

did the pics wrong

 

[NotTheMomma]

Doesn't look like a normal molt to me. Did you treat them for lice/mites? How many roosters are in there? Are the roosters being overly aggressive? The loss of feathers at the head I would bet is from the roosters, and not so sure some of this on her isn't as well.

 

[miss_thenorth]

The head and back look like she's the roo's favourite. Down farther, it looks like she might have lice/mites.

 

[mame1616]

Checked for lice and mites - none. Only a banty roo who doesn't bother with the big girls. She acts totally normal otherwise. The banty hens are missing head feathers from the roo, but the big girls are another story.

 

[mame1616]

Sorry - how did I do the pics wrong? I followed the instructions.

 

[LynneP]

Other hens will sometimes mount and scratch, too. I's separate her for a while to see what's happening...

 

[HorseFeathers]

We had a hen who molted for eight months, possibly more. You see, she was molting when we got her and the stress of moving made her molt go into a standstill. Then it was winter, and she didn't finish molting until summer. We also had a hen whose molt was put on hold while she was broody (it didn't help that she picked her own tummy to make the nest all nice and soft!).

But that does look like an unusual molt. I'd keep a weather eye on her to watch for picking.