RIR feathers looking a bit rough

[Velisabeth]

I wanted to see if anyone had any recommendations. My Rhode Island Red is looking a bit rough with her plumage. She is laying 5-6 eggs a week and gets plenty of crumble, scratch, meal worms and whatever she can catch during her outdoor time. I inspect her on a weekly basis for pests no louse or mites. To my knowledge she has not had a molt but I do see some new feathers coming in. Is there anything I can give her or do for her to help with her feathers? My other chicken is a bantam Brahma, she molted in September and looked like a chicken exploded in my back yard. She stopped laying after her molt and has not resumed. Thoughts and recommendations on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DobieLover]

I wanted to see if anyone had any recommendations. My Rhode Island Red is looking a bit rough with her plumage. She is laying 5-6 eggs a week and gets plenty of crumble, scratch, meal worms and whatever she can catch during her outdoor time. I inspect her on a weekly basis for pests no louse or mites. To my knowledge she has not had a molt but I do see some new feathers coming in. Is there anything I can give her or do for her to help with her feathers? My other chicken is a bantam Brahma, she molted in September and looked like a chicken exploded in my back yard. She stopped laying after her molt and has not resumed. Thoughts and recommendations on this would be greatly appreciated.

How old is your RIR?
If you see pin feathers coming in, she may have finally started her molt if she is in her second winter. I have two that STILL haven't started molting.
What brand (% protein) are you feeding for your crumble? How much scratch are you feeding? Do you only have the two chickens?

 

[Velisabeth]

This is Winnies second winter. I have a gallon size feeder that they eat at their own pace. Usually I have to refill at a week to two weeks. I only have two chickens right now. One was gifted to us and then we bought Winnie because I have always loved RIRs after doing a report on them in elementary school. We want more chickens but 1. We need a bigger coop and 2. Newcastle’s has stopped all sale of birds in our area. The crumble is 18.5% crude protein, lysine .75%,methionine .25%, fat 3.7%, fiber 3.7%,ash 14%, calcium 3.7%, phosphorus.7%, salt .1%, sodium .1%.

 

[Mrs. K]

Time is your biggest help. They look just ratty as they go into molt. And then they look worse. Some birds molt fast, and some drag it out for weeks. Time and longer days will get the girls laying again.

 

[rehdancer]

Do your chicken's feathers look like this? Am interested in the views of experienced folks, I didn't think chickens would molt in the dead of winter..... My 8 hens are 10 months old, still laying 1 egg per day, most of them don't look like this.

 

[Velisabeth]

DoView attachment 2012411View attachment 2012412 your chicken's feathers look like this? Am interested in the views of experienced folks, I didn't think chickens would molt in the dead of winter..... My 8 hens are 10 months old, still laying 1 egg per day, most of them don't look like this.

She doesn’t look like she’s in a molt. The feathers are just less luxurious. The look a bit tattered and the tips of her tail and wings look like have broken at the ends. I check her for pests on a weekly basis and nothing.